Into the Wild
by Tree23
Summary: Rick Castle is father to a precocious 9-year-old Alexis who wants him to chaperone her class camping trip. The school decides to take advantage of a new NYPD program to have off-duty officers get involved with school activities. Enter Officer Kate Beckett, just over a year out of the police academy, but in need of a break from the stressful life of police work.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This story takes place a little over a year after Beckett graduates from the Police Academy. If I've got the timeline right, that makes it around 2003 - four years after her mother was murdered. I might be a bit off, but it's close enough. It also makes Alexis around 9 years old. Again, close enough. This story assumes that Beckett is no longer working with a Training Officer, and I haven't touched on that topic at all. I may have made a few assumptions along the way, but it's for the sake of the story so hopefully they're not too far off. I'm not entirely sure just how long this story will be. I have two endings in mind - one for a shorter story, one for a longer story that involves more of the murder case Beckett is working on. Feel free to weigh in on which direction I should take.**

**I highly value and encourage feedback so please review away!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle and I'm saddened every day because of it. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. I love Mondays :)**

* * *

**February 2003**

It's quiet. Too quiet, Castle thought pensively as he sat at the desk in his study. This was both his favourite and least favourite time of day. Alexis was expected to bound in the front door at any minute, which was good, but she had not yet arrived home and he had nothing to do but wait, which was bad. He smiled as he looked down at the picture of them on his desk. It's his favourite one – Alexis, only four years old, is reaching up to hold his hand as they walk through Central Park. The green of the leaves on the trees is muted, out of focus, but it provides a stark contrast to the flaming red of Alexis' hair, caught aglow by the summer sun's rays.

He sat reflecting over the last five years since that picture was taken realizing just how much she had changed, how much he had changed, how much she had changed him. He's so proud of the young lady that she is becoming, but really he can't believe that in a couple of short years she'll be a teenager. He's nervous about all that will bring and hopeful that it won't be as bad as some of the horror stories he's read about. But really, why is he worried? This is Alexis, and Alexis is perfect.

Somehow, despite a single father upbringing, her overly dramatic mother caught by the trappings of a flashy Hollywood lifestyle, Alexis had turned out just fine. She's the best of both her parents, probably even surpassing their bests, a responsible, insightful and fun-loving child.

Castle had never regretted his choice to raise her on his own. He knew even before he married Alexis' mother, Meredith, that she was not someone who could be bound by responsibilities and commitment. She was a free spirit, and it was best she be allowed to be a part of Alexis' life on her own terms. Rick had made sure that Alexis wanted for nothing and that she always felt loved, no matter what.

He looked around the room, thinking about the direction his life had taken. He was thrilled that his career had taken off, that his mystery novels were so well received by both fans and critics. Most of the time he simply just enjoyed all the bounty that his writing skills had made accessible to him, but once in a while, in quiet moments like these, he thought about how truly lucky he was to have been given this gift. He loved to write, he loved the way he could manipulate the words on the page to incite emotion in both himself and others, and he was so happy that he could make a career of this passion. Partly it fulfilled in him a sense of completeness, of self-actualization, and partly, he revelled in the joy of getting to be at home whenever Alexis needed him. He loved their time together more than anything else in the world, and he was the first to admit that being good at writing allowed him to have more fun than any one person should have the right to.

Rick leaned back in his chair and glanced around the room at some of the perks his success had allowed him. The room was stylishly decorated, not garish or boastful, but simple and well appointed, as one might expect of a famous, best selling novelist's private writing cave. Too much flash would distract him from the requirements of his chosen profession, while not having enough of interest could hinder his creativity.

He displayed many items throughout the room, some evidence of his fame like the pictures he had taken with celebrities, professional athletes and politicians, and some evidence of his love of family, such as the tiny ceramic hand print from Alexis' first birthday party and several of her childhood drawings. Hundreds of books lined the many bookcases that separated this room from the more public living space just a few feet away, all of which had somehow or other inspired him to weave masterful tales of suspense and intrigue. Tombs of fiction ranging from classic Edgar Allen Poe to the British spy novelist Ian Fleming, biographies of famous people of all walks of life, manuals for everything from how to arrange flowers to how to fire a grenade launcher, were all a testament to just how much research he had done over the course of his writing career.

The furniture was tastefully selected – professional and stylish, but suitable for a father with a young child. Two black leather club chairs sat in the centre of the room atop a warm grey shag area rug, a blend of masculinity with a hint of softness. The two chairs faced the large, solid wood desk where Rick now found himself sitting. The large surface usually covered with papers, books and partially drained coffee cups was starkly bare, begging for someone to give it purpose. But Rick had just finished his most recent work, sent the final draft to Gina, his publisher, several days ago, and as such was in the painstaking phase of research he frustratingly titled 'searching for inspiration'.

Looking behind him at the hugely enlarged photograph of an almost endlessly curving stairwell, he found it mirrored the feeling of his endless search for that next great idea. He kept going around and around in his mind not knowing when, where or why that next idea would strike him, all the while praying that it just would. His greatest fear as a writer continued to be that he would hit a wall, that supposed never-ending staircase finally reaching its termination in a blank drywall barricade, that there would be no more ideas. The thoughts brought up flashes of panic, despair and fear, none of which helped his creativity. He knew in his rational mind that simply walking away from these imaginings was the best course of action, but his irrational mind often convinced him that if he didn't keep thinking about it, he never would find inspiration. And thus he travelled in endless circles in his mind. Like the singing lady in the Harry Potter novel awaiting the vengeance of Sirius Black, Rick Castle was caught in his painting, condemned to travel down those stairs for all eternity. _Those stupid stairs_.

Finally his rational mind won over. _Get up. GET UP! _It commanded, and he did. He walked dejectedly into the spacious living room and wandered unfocussed and distracted until he reached the kitchen island. Mechanically he approached the stainless steel refrigerator and opened the door. He looked in with vacant eyes seeing through the contents as if they weren't there. The cool, crisp air that had been sealed so tightly within, rushed to escape its captor and as it hit his face, Rick felt a wave of energy start to build in him. It was small at first but slowly increased as he pushed his face further into the space.

_Not cold enough,_ he thought.

He raised his hand to pull open the freezer door to his left and immediately craned his head as far into the opening as he could without causing his nose to inadvertently get stuck to anything inside. He breathed deeply feeling the cold push out all of the self doubt and anguish that he had earlier allowed to creep in. His eyes blinked rapidly as they watered from the frost, but he remained locked in position feeling his mood lift and his spirit revived.

It was here that Alexis found him several minutes later when she walked into the loft apartment. She always insisted on walking home from school alone, her independence a source of concern for her father at times, but secretly he loved that she was willing to take on anything that might scare her, and she loved that he was always waiting for her on the other side of that door.

As she closed the door quietly, she watched her father standing motionless, half in the freezer, breathing deeply. She silently walked around the kitchen island sidling up beside him.

"Finding your inspiration?" she asked smiling that big innocent but knowing smile.

Castle literally jumped at the unexpected sound of a voice. "Ahhh!" He yelled out, eyes wider than when they watched that zombie flick a few nights ago, and his breath sounding just as ragged. "Oh my god, Alexis! Oh my god, you scared me. I didn't hear...when did you? Oh, you're home!" Breathlessly Castle encircled his daughter with strong arms and held her close. She could feel his heart racing as he gripped her tight to his chest.

She pulled her arms around him and squeezed back, reassuringly. "Hi dad. How was your day?"

Castle continued his hug, still trying to regain some sense of control in his mind and his body.

"Dad?" Alexis looked up at him as best she could, but his grip seemed to have intensified and she was barely able to move. "Dad? It's a little tight."

"What?" He asked finally regaining his focus. "What did you say? Oh, I...sorry." He finally released her from his grip and smiled down at her, put a hand on either shoulder and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Hi," he said sheepishly, embarrassed by his overreaction to her arrival.

"Hi," she replied back. "Are you okay?" She giggled a bit as the colour rose to his cheeks.

"Me? What? Pfft... Yeah sure, of course I'm okay. Are you kidding? I knew you were there the whole time. I was just...excited that you're home..." Castle tried to play off like he hadn't just had the wits scared out of him to save face in front of his little girl but she wasn't having any of it and laughed at him to show she wasn't being fooled.

"Sure dad," she replied her tone letting him know that she clearly did not believe him.

The two spent a few minutes sharing the stories of their days, Castle trying to convince his little girl that he had lots of new story ideas, when really he had none, and Alexis regaling him with the antics of her day spent at school. Rick very quickly revived from his previous growing melancholy listening to the animated story teller that his daughter was becoming. A proud smile crept onto his face. _Chip off the old block,_ he thought to himself.

"So, Dad? What do you think?" Alexis asked reviving him from his thoughts.

"Think? I uh..." Castle realized that his mind had wandered and he had no idea what she had been talking about. Alexis' face looked on him with anticipation, waiting for his answer as he quickly formed what he hoped was an appropriate response. "Um, yeah, okay." He hoped that was the right answer.

"Really? Are you sure? I didn't think you'd say yes so easily! I had a whole speech planned out and everything. Thanks Dad this is so great!"

"Um, wait, Alexis? Um...Okay, what did I just agree to?" Apparently paying better attention would be a good idea, Castle thought. Who knews what he had just gotten himself into.

"My school camping trip Dad, at Camp Noisy River. They need one more chaperone and since it's a boys and girls together trip, you can come! I wasn't sure if you'd be able to fit it into your schedule though. With your new book finished, I thought maybe you might be too busy." She looked down, hoping that he wouldn't change his mind. Alexis often was so responsible and mature for her age that sometimes Castle had to remind himself that she was only nine.

"Alexis, I'm never too busy for you. Of course I'll come on your camping trip." He smiled down at her and she beamed back at him.

_Wow, she's beautiful_, Castle thought. H_ow on earth did I get so lucky?_

"Oooo, does that mean we get to have campfires, and make s'mores and oh, oh, do we get to tell ghost stories? Oh, please tell me I get to tell ghost stories!" Despite not totally loving the idea of camping with a bunch of nine-year-olds, Castle was getting increasingly excited about the prospect. He was a story-teller and camping, and campfires especially, were all about telling stories, especially ghost stories. His face was absolutely beaming.

"Dad, you can't embarrass me! Not in front of my friends! Please, you have to calm down," she urged.

"Oh, come on Alexis," Castle said teasingly, "your friends have known me for so long now I'm sure nothing I do will surprise them. At this point, is there really anything I could do that would embarrass you? I'm pretty sure I've done it all." He wiggled his eyebrows over his sparkling blue eyes.

"You'd think that would be the case, but I'm not so sure. Plus some of my teachers will be there. Oh Dad, please don't embarrass me in front of my teachers!" She begged him not really sure what he might do if she didn't convince him now to just take it easy. She loved him for his silliness and his sense of humour, but not everyone would get it, she knew.

She was just starting to reconsider her request of him when his face dropped and he looked dejectedly back at her. "Okay, fine, you win." She smiled, perhaps a little too much relief showing on her face. "But can I maybe just tell one or two ghost stories? Come on Alexis, I won't make them too scary." He looked up at her, hopeful. Sometimes she wondered who was really the nine year old in this house.

"Okay, Dad, you can tell two ghost stories," he nodded vigorously with excitement. "But I get to approve them first," she added trying to close any loopholes to her agreement.

"Oh, but then you'll know what's going to happen and it won't be scary for you."

"Dad," she warned.

"Ok deal," he agreed and stuck his hand out to shake on it. She stuck her hand into his and squeezed, pumping up and down once to seal their agreement. He winked at her and smiled a goofy wide grin that made her heart melt. "Good. Now that our business is concluded we should eat. How about a snack before dinner? There's some Rocky Road in the freezer with our names on it."

Alexis rolled her eyes at him. "How about some carrot sticks now, and Rocky Road after dinner?" She asked, far too responsible for her own good, or his anyways. "Wouldn't want to spoil our appetites right?"

Again Castle looked down dejectedly and pouted, "Okay fine, spoilsport. But I'm putting whipped cream on the ice cream after dinner and you can't stop me."

She laughed as she moved to open the fridge and take out the carrot sticks and some ranch dressing. "Deal," she replied mimicking his earlier sentiments.

Castle watched her as she moved around the kitchen preparing their snack and pouring two glasses of juice. He knew that sometimes he acted more like the kid in the house than the parent, but sometimes she was just so serious that he wanted to make sure she knew it was okay to have fun too. There had been times in their life together that had required him to be more serious than he would like, but he knew when to be the parent and when Alexis was okay with him, maybe even _needed_ him, to be fun.

And sometimes he really couldn't help himself. He was, in fact, just a big kid at heart and he loved that she allowed him to be himself no matter what. They were good for each other, both allowing each other to be who they were without judgement. They seemed to be able to recognize just what the other needed, and spared no effort to give it to them. He sighed with contentment as she took their snack to the couch and plopped down in front of the TV.

"You coming dad?" She called distractedly over her shoulder. "I want to watch some cartoons."

_Yep_, he thought, _chip off the old block._


	2. Chapter 2

**I'd love feedback so feel free to review!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle and I am deeply saddened by this every day. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. I love Mondays :) **

* * *

"What are you doing down here?" the strong male voice boomed, startling her out of her deep concentration.

"I..um...sir, I was just..." unable to keep going she just looked up forlornly at the detective standing in front of her. He was a proud looking man, wearing a dark grey suit, crisp white shirt and a black tie. He had a kind face but she could also tell he meant business and suspects would probably break quickly under his expert interrogation skills. She was feeling that pressure herself right now.

"Well, Officer..." he paused waiting for her to introduce herself.

"Beckett," she replied as strongly as she could, knowing she was doing something she was really not supposed to be doing. "Kate Beckett."

"Well, Officer Beckett," his voice softened. _Did he recognize her? Had they met before? _Beckett wondered. No, she would have remembered this it was just her imagination. Maybe he was looking at her, sitting on the floor of the records room at the precinct, surrounded by boxes and papers and photos and felt sorry for the state she was in. She was clearly frazzled, on the verge of frustrated tears really.

She still wore her officer's uniform but the shirt was untucked and undone in the front, a crisp white tank top underneath. Her open shirt exposed a chain she wore around her neck, its only charm was what looked like an engagement ring, but it looked old. Not an antique, but dated, like it was something that had been given many years ago when that style of jewellery was in fashion. Her hair was tied up on her head in a loose messy bun from which tendrils of hair had escaped to messily frame her face. She was beautiful, but she was a mess. A contradiction.

Kate had been reading through these files every chance she could get since she had earned her badge at the police academy and been assigned to the 12th precinct just over a year ago. She was no further ahead in her investigation and she was starting to feel like she never would be.

She composed herself as best she could and stood up amidst the piles of notes and evidence. Her height surprised Montgomery. She was easily 5'9", thin build but she looked like she could hold her own in a fight. "I'm sorry sir. I know I'm not supposed to be down here, but...well...this is the file from my mother's case. My mom...she was murdered four years ago. It was never solved and I'm trying to see if there was anything that was missed."

Detective Roy Montgomery looked at the mess on the floor, then back to Officer Beckett. "So you think that you, a rookie, can find something that the many detectives and experienced officers on your mother's case couldn't find? You think that you can solve this, when it's clear you're so close to it that your judgement has no possible option but to be compromised?" he looked at her not with anger or with denouncement, but more with wonder. Montgomery could tell that this young officer was going to be a force to be reckoned with one day.

"I...I just want justice," she stammered out.

Montgomery raised his eyebrows at her, a slight hint of pride on his face. "Justice? Hmm ..I suppose that is a worthy goal, but I don't know that you're going to find it here. As you said, you're not supposed to be in the records room at all. If some other detective were to find you down here, sittin' on the floor, papers thrown about, you could get in some serious trouble, you know?"

"Yes sir," Kate looked at him, not dejectedly as most young officers in this position would, but with a sense of defiance, like she knew he was right but she wasn't going to give up anyways. She had a tenacity about her that Montgomery recognized. It was like looking in a mirror. He paused a moment longer, thinking, before he finally responded.

"Well, I guess there's only one thing to do then." She looked up at him questioningly.

"Sir?"

"You'd better box all this stuff back up."

"But sir!" She pleaded, her eyes full of fear and frustration and firm resolve. _How did she do that? _He thought. _How does she put all that into one look?_

"Officer Beckett, it is a serious breach of protocol for you to even be down here let alone looking at files, especially of your mother's case." He paused. "But, I could sign the files out."

"Sir?" Kate was confused. Why would he take out the files?

"Well, I can look into any cases that I feel need attention. Perhaps I might look at taking an interest in this one. Perhaps, I might need an officer to help me run down any leads that come up. And a fresh set of eyes never hurt anything."

Beckett looked at Montgomery with such a fierce expression of gratitude, he couldn't help but smile.

"Oh sir, thank you so much," she said as she knelt down to start packing up the files.

He knelt down next to her and placed his hand on hers. "Don't thank me yet Officer. The Captain has been on my ass to get some cases closed so I'm going to need you to help me with those too. This work has to be strictly after hours only. The rest of the time, you're mine. Perhaps I'll see if I can't make a detective out of you. You certainly have the grit."

Beckett looked sidelong at the detective kneeling next to her on the cold concrete floor of the records room. There were so many emotions bubbling up through her that she didn't know which to deal with first. What she did know was that this detective was offering her a chance she wasn't sure she was ever going to get. Work on her mom's case by night; learn all she could from a seasoned well-respected detective by day. She resolved in that moment to never let him down. She made a conscious decision right then to follow that man wherever he would lead.

"Yes sir. And thank you sir. No matter what, thank you." She held his attention, her eyes captivating his. They spoke such volumes, beyond what her simple words had. _How does she do that?_


	3. Chapter 3

**I'd love feedback so feel free to review!**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle and am still very sad that I don't. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. I love Mondays :) **

* * *

**May 2003**

Several months later Montgomery sat at his desk in the bullpen. He watched Kate Beckett reading through phone records, highlighting those that might somehow relate to this latest homicide case they were working. He reflected on how much had changed over the last few months and on how much had stayed the same.

On the one hand, Beckett was really showing promise in her goal to make detective. She was well on her way to becoming the youngest female detective in the history of the NYPD. Not that she had ever even considered that stat, but there were those who did. She had developed some great skills that were serving her well and helping him to close cases. She had a keen eye for details and often picked up on little clues that others overlooked. She focussed closely on the victims, making sure to treat each case with the care and consideration that those victims deserved. She was truly passionate about finding justice for them and while it was a commendable goal, it took its toll on her.

Despite these changes in her development as a cop, Kate Beckett was just as broken now as she was when Roy had first found her that day in the records room. In fact, if he was honest about it, she was worse. The strain of her increased responsibility at the precinct, coupled with a lack of leads in her mother's case, were really starting to wear her down. The signs were starting to show. She was heading to a major burn out. But once Beckett grabbed on to something, she wasn't one to let go. She didn't waver in her dedication, no matter how hard it hit her. As she had said to him one day as they worked on a particularly taxing case: '_If we don't get justice for these victims and their families, who will?'_ She bore the weight of the world on her shoulders, and he just didn't know if they would be strong enough to hold it all anymore.

He looked across his desk at the papers strewn about when his eye caught on an interoffice memo that had been dropped off earlier in the day. He hadn't given it a second thought when he first saw it, but now, an idea formed in his head that might help kill two birds with one stone. Beckett needed a break. And as much as she wasn't going to like it, this was one way he could make her take some time off.

"Beckett!" he called out to where she sat a few desks away.

She looked up at him and started walking to his desk, knowing he'd want a status report.

"Where are we at?" he asked her, all business.

"Sir, I've been going through these phone records and I think I may have found something. Our vic received calls from this same number every week, same day, same time of day, every week. Each call lasted exactly 30 seconds before being disconnected, until this one." Beckett pointed at a line on the page. "This one, the week before our vic was murdered, lasted two minutes before being disconnected."

"What do you think it means?" asked Montomery, not sure where her mind was taking her.

"Well, look at the number sir. Does it seem a bit familiar?"

Montgomery looked down at the number again, something registering, nagging at the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite figure out what it was. Then, suddenly it dawned on him, "That's the number at the Federal Correctional Institution at Otisville. But why would a guard be calling our vic over and over every week? What's the connection?"

Beckett was shaking her head at him. "No sir, look at the length of the calls. 30 seconds. I think it was an inmate calling her. Because the prisons won't pay for long distance charges, this guy would have to call collect and hope that the person at the other end would accept. What if over and over he called but she wouldn't accept?"

"Okay, Beckett, but why all of a sudden did she accept this guy's call? What was so different this time?"

"I don't know," she replied, playing out the ideas in her head. _What made sense here? What would be the logical reason? Got it!_ "Sir, I read something recently that said that sometimes inmates will give a message instead of their name when asked by the automated collect call system who is calling. What if the guy told our victim something that made her feel like she had to answer, something important. Maybe he told her that he was getting out, so she took his call?"

"So if that were true, all we'd have to do now is go through the prison records to see who got released in that window and pick 'em up. At least we'd have someone else, who knew our vic, to talk to. Right now we sure don't have anything else." Montgomery watched as Beckett moved off to her desk and picked up her phone.

"I'll call the warden at Otisville and see if we can get some more information. Maybe they have a record of who was using the phone at those times and we can narrow it down more. Then they can tell us if the guy was released and who he is."

"Good work Beckett, good work." Yet again, she had amazed him. Something that no one else had picked up on, just the smallest little clue, and she had broken yet another case wide open. Montgomery looked down at his desk and noticed again the interoffice memo that had fallen aside when Beckett had given him her report. He picked it up with a new sense of mission and walked into his captain's office.

* * *

Ten minutes later, Montgomery strode out of the captain's office with a sense of purpose. Beckett was waiting for him at his desk, absently looking at the picture he kept of his wife and kids. There was a deflated look on her face and he knew it was her mom's case that was in her thoughts now. He hoped the little plan he had devised with his captain would work.

Beckett looked up as he moved in to sit beside her on the edge of his desk. "How you holdin' up?" he asked.

"Sir? I'm fine sir. Just waiting for the warden to get back to me. He was in a meeting when I called."

"Good. Well, that will give us time to talk about your new assignment." He handed her the office memo. She read through it quickly, a look of concern increasing on her face.

"This? This is my new assignment? But sir, what did I do wrong?" her face was starting to falter.

"Wrong? Beckett you didn't do anything wrong. Why would you think that?" he took the paper back from her and glanced through it again to make sure he hadn't misread it earlier.

"Sir, you're taking me off our case when we're so close. We've just got this new lead and I want to see it through." Kate was clearly confused about Montgomery's motives. She thought she'd been doing a good job. Everything he had asked of her in the last few months she had done. And then some. And then a lot really. She had worked harder in the last months since he'd picked her up off that floor in the records room than she ever had in her life, even in pre-law at Stanford. What was she missing?

"Kate," his voice was soft as he looked to get her attention. He held her gaze until she felt the pools building up in her eyes. "Kate, I'm not punishing you. You're doing a fantastic job. You have accomplished way more in these last few months than I ever thought you could. You've helped to make me look good in front of the captain and you've given more families than I can count some peace of mind by helping to solve these crimes. But Kate, you're burning the candle at both ends and I'm worried you're going to burn out."

She started to protest but he raised a hand to stop her.

"Kate, you need a break. If you don't take a break now, you're going to crack, and then you're not going to be any good to anybody. Not me, not our victims, and certainly not their families. I need you here Kate, but I need you here whole."

She sat resignedly on the desk. Her whole body had stiffened when she first saw the memo and it was only now as she started to release some of that tension that she realized just how tightly she'd been strung. She knew he was right, but this assignment, this was babysitting.

"Look sir, I hear you. I get it. And you're right. But let me just take a couple of days off. I have some vacation days coming to me. Let me just take those days to recover."

Roy shook his head, "Kate if I do that, you'll spend your whole time off on your mother's case. That's not going to work. You need a break. From all of it. Even from her." He tried to sound the least insensitive he could, though given the topic that was difficult. She started to protest but again he stopped her. "No Kate, this is non-negotiable. I've already cleared it with the Captain and frankly he's relieved. He didn't know who he was going to send on this task but he agreed with me that you are the perfect choice. So that's it. You're going."

Kate looked down at the memo again and sighed. "But I hate camping." She whined.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed the first few chapters of this story. I really appreciate it! Things are going to start to pick up in the story after this chapter...just need the time to write it :)**

******Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle and I'm saddened every day because of it. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. **

******Did you guys see tonight's ep yet? Not enough Caskett romance for my tastes, but the last scene was totally fab! And I loved the humour of the ep..and the sundae! Reminds me of my first fanfic '_Sunday Sundae' _- check it out if you want/need a little fluffy romance to tide you over till the next new ep. I love Mondays :)**

* * *

**Two days later...**

Castle stepped warily out of the bus. He walked a few steps forward and just stopped, dead in his tracks, as a throng of nine-year-olds bound out the door and ran laughing and yelling around him. It had been a long two hour trip and Castle was a little worn out. He loved Alexis' nine-year-old energy at home, but twenty-two nine-year-olds, cooped up in a bus for so long, were a bit more than he could take.

And it didn't help matters that Anita Penn, the newly single mother of another student and the other parent chaperone, had spent the whole ride talking to him about, well, about anything and everything she could think of. Castle knew the moms at Alexis' school thought of him as a catch, but the shameless flirting, on a school trip, was not his idea of a good time.

And her name, _seriously_? Castle thought in wonder. With a name like Anita, you'd think that she'd consider not taking on her husband's last name when they got married. And now she had apparently decided that them being on this trip together was fate, and a hilarious story.

It went something like this:

_'Hi Richard, I'm Anita Penn, Tommy's mom,' she said raising her hand to take his._

_'A-Anita Penn?' he'd asked innocently as they shook._

_'Well you are a writer!' she laughed at her own terrible pun, a high pitched honking noise that actually hurt his ear drums. 'Oh, Ricky I'm just kidding, that was a just joke,' she flashed a wide lop-sided grin as Castle did everything he could to feign a laugh._

_'Ahem, well that's funny, but actually I do all my writing on a laptop, so no need for pens.' She honked out another laugh that actually made him cringe. _

_Seriously,_ he thought,_ really no need for Penns._

* * *

The bus driver stepped down out of the bus and slapped a hand to Rick's shoulder, bringing him out of his reverie. He looked over and smiled at Don, the only other adult male on the trip. "Well that was fun, wasn't it Mr. Castle?" He asked laughing.

"Don, I don't know how you do this every day. I have a new found respect for you. They definitely aren't paying you enough." Castle replied earnestly.

"Ah, I do alright, Mr. Castle. And honestly, I love these guys," he said indicating the kids playing out in the field. The boys had organized themselves into a game of tag, while the girls stood in small talking circles scattered around. Even at this age, they were forming little cliques it seemed.

He spotted Alexis talking to a couple of girls all wearing similar jeans and sweaters, like little clones from some science fiction movie. They were laughing and telling jokes, until, he saw Alexis spy a girl who was standing off to the side on her own. Alexis stopped laughing with her friends and walked over to the girl. She said a few words, smiled, put her hand around the girl's shoulders, and steered her towards the group she had just been talking to. Castle beamed with pride.

Don moved over to open the luggage doors and Castle turned to help him out. They worked away for a few minutes stacking the luggage as best they could into separate piles for the girls and the boys to make it easier for them to collect their bags when it was time. Before they had left the school that morning, Alexis' teacher, Miss Travers, had put blue or pink duct tape with the student's name on each bag so they would be able to identify and sort it all easier when they arrived. Castle now appreciated this thought, though at the time he had thought it stereotypical to use blue and pink colored tape. As he looked back at the students in the field though, he noticed that only one or two girls had joined in the boys tag game, and only two boys weren't involved, instead examining something apparently very interesting on the ground between them. Clearly, Miss Travers had chosen the colors wisely. Within a few minutes more, all of the bags had been removed from the bus and the kids were being called to gather their things and move them to their tents.

Looking around, Castle saw now that the field was encircled with a number of large orange canvass tents on raised wooden platforms. A look of worry crept to his face as he wondered if he and Don were going to have to share one of these tents for the next few days. Not a lot of privacy or comfort.

"Don't worry, Mr. Castle," Miss Travers said watching him with a small smile playing across her lips. "The chaperones are staying in private rooms in that building over there." She pointed to the left where he now saw behind a stand of trees, a large building with big windows.

"Oh," he said a little laugh escaping from his lips. "I figured Donny and I would be bunking up in one of those tents."

"Well, we still could if you want," Don replied laughing at Castle's mistake.

"Don, you seem like a wonderful man, but that ring on your finger suggests you have a wife at home, and I wouldn't want to make her jealous." Castle and Don shared a laugh as Miss Travers just shook her head at them.

"I'll just get the kids organized and then we can go in and get settled."

Miss Travers spent a few minutes talking to the kids about her expectations of them and some of the rules of the camp. No going in anyone else's tent, no leaving tents after lights out without a flashlight, and no boys going into girls' tents or girls going into boys' tents. This last one got a few snickers from the kids and Castle wondered whether it was really something to be concerned about. _I mean, they're only nine, right? What could possibly happen_? _Maybe best to let Miss Travers worry about that_, he thought.

* * *

Just as the kids were dismissed with their bags, a dark blue sedan drove into the parking lot. It looked like an unmarked police car, Castle mused.

The driver's side door opened and out stepped one of the most beautiful creatures that Castle thought he had ever laid eyes on. Even casually dressed in jeans, a sweatshirt and a pair of black and white Converse Chuck Taylor's she was stunning. He just stared as Miss Travers walked up to the woman and shook her hand. They had a short conversation while the woman grabbed a suitcase out of the trunk of her car and walked over to where the two men were standing, mouths agape.

"Don, Mr. Castle," Miss Travers started, "this is Officer Kate Beckett from the NYPD. She has agreed to tag along on our trip. It's part of a new NYPD program to have off-duty officers spend time with school children to help them learn both about the value of our police services, and how to stay safe in a variety of environments. We thought this would be a great chance for the kids to really get to know a real police officer," she said trying to sound light and matter of fact. It was well-rehearsed.

Castle heard something else in Miss Travers' voice though that he couldn't quite pinpoint. There was something else about Officer Beckett's presence that she wasn't saying. _But really,_ he thought, _who cares?_

Kate looked at the two men staring at her and shifted uncomfortably. She decided to take charge and get the pleasantries out of the way so she could get to her room and get settled, and maybe find a cup of coffee. She struck her hand out in front of Don and smiled, "Don, it's great to meet you." They shook hands and Don smiled back.

Castle, wanting to save face from his previous staring _faux pas_, stuck his hand out to hers, "Officer Beckett, I'm Richard Castle." She stopped her hand partway to his and looked with recognition at his face. But not wanting to make a big deal, she pressed on and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you," she said eyeing him carefully. Castle thought it looked like there was something she wanted to say to him. He could tell that she recognized who he was but there was something more to it than that. There was a hint of sadness behind her eyes that she was trying very hard to cover. He tried to give her a reassuring smile, not quite knowing what he was reassuring her about, but trying anyways.

Just at that moment, Anita Penn walked up and took Beckett's hand out of Castle's, as if to suggest Kate needed her permission to touch him.

"I'm Anita Penn, and you are?" she asked rather haughtily.

Kate hesitated a moment, a slight look of confusion on her face, wondering if she'd heard the name right, before replying in her most professional manner, "Officer Kate Beckett, NYPD." She made it clear she was not going to be pushed around by this woman.

"Oh," said Anita, looking to Miss Travers, "is someone in trouble? Why are the police here?"

Having missed the previous introductions, Miss Travers explained the reason for Kate's presence. Anita took a slight step closer to Castle, like an animal marking its territory. But Castle just ignored her and stared at Kate to see how she would handle herself.

"It's very nice to meet you," Kate decided to change her tack and added a lot more sweetness to her tone. This was going to be a long few days if they couldn't find a way to get along. "I'm really looking forward to getting to know the kids and all of you better." Her eyes rested on Castle just a beat longer than the others. As she smiled at them all, Rick felt a flutter in his stomach. Things had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed my story! I really appreciate your comments and I'm glad you're enjoying it! I hope the next two chapters aren't too slow. I have a good idea where this story is going now and it's really going to pick up soon.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own Castle and I'm still sad for that. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

* * *

Miss Travers led the chaperones through the building to their rooms. They passed a number of doorways that led to a variety of areas which could be used for small group activities and discussions. One of these rooms was a nicely decorated cozy lounge with a couple of couches, a dining table with chairs, and a kitchenette, stocked with all the necessities. Miss Travers clarified that they would eat their meals with the students in another building that she had pointed out earlier, but that they could use this teacher's lounge during free time and after the students went to bed.

At the end of the long hallway were several doors leading to private bedrooms to be used by staff and chaperones. The two men were assigned rooms on the left side of the hallway, and Kate and Anita were assigned to two rooms on the right side, directly across from the men. Miss Travers was to occupy another room further down the hall.

"It's one-thirty now," Miss Travers said looking at her watch. "We're going to go on a hike in a bit, so you can use this time to get yourselves settled, wander the facilities, check out the kids' tents, whatever you like. We'll meet outside the main building just before three o'clock to get going. If you need anything just ask."

Kate turned into her room, pulling her suitcase behind her and quietly closed the door. She took a deep breath to relax the stiffening in her shoulders and neck from the long drive, and looked around the room. It was a nice size, with a queen sized bed already made up, two light oak colored bedside tables and a matching dresser. Next to a large window on the far wall sat two very cozy looking arm chairs, with a matching ottoman in front of one and a coffee table in front of the other, and flanked by two reading lamps.

Kate moved to look out the window at the breathtaking view. It was a bright, sunshiny spring day and the wildflowers in the distance on her far left were in full bloom. They appeared to roll in waves as a light breeze blew across the hill. To the right, Kate could see the tents where the students were housed, everyone bustling with activity to get them set up just right. It seemed that many of them had brought signs - cautioning 'Keep Out' and 'Enter at your own risk' - and streamers and balloons to decorate their respective new homes. Kate laughed when she saw that one tent's occupants had apparently thought using police caution tape was a clever idea.

Beyond the tents rested a forest of trees where they would later take their hike. She knew from the maps that Miss Travers had given each of them that there was a river winding its way through those trees, and that there were several clearings where the camp owners had set up activity stations for the students to use during their stay.

Just then a door behind Kate opened. She turned to look at the disturbance and found Anita Penn staring back at her, a look of surprise on her face.

"Oh, Officer Beckett! I didn't know this was your room." Kate realized that Anita had not actually opened the main door to her room, but a side door that Kate had assumed was the closet when she first entered. Apparently it was not. "Looks like we're sharing a bathroom then," Anita continued, not even trying to hide her disappointment.

Kate looked past Anita into the well-appointed bathroom behind her. "I guess so," She offered with a smile. She was not going to sink to this woman's level no matter how much Kate was irked by her demeanor.

Anita leaned against the door frame sizing up Kate. "So, Officer Beckett, what's your story?"

"My story? What do you mean?" Kate asked innocently. It was clear the woman wanted to pry and Kate was not going to satisfy her curiosity.

"Well, you're a cop, babysitting a bunch of rich kids on your days off. What's your deal? You just break up with someone? You get in trouble at work?" Anita stared at her disapprovingly like she knew there was some juicy secret and she just couldn't wait to find out what it was.

Kate tried to laugh the comments off to show Anita that they were off-base. "No deal here," Kate just shrugged. "I'm just trying to help out in the community and this looked like a fun way to do it." Anita definitely didn't need to know that Kate had been assigned to be here, that she had been forced to take this break from the job. The woman was everything that Kate hated – conniving, nosy and rude – and she was not going to add any fuel to her fire.

"Hmm, I'm sure," Anita replied clearly not buying Kate's response.

Kate just smiled back at her. "Well, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to finish getting settled and maybe take a quick power nap. I'll see you later."

Anita flashed a toothy grin that appeared more like a snarl, and turned on her heal to walk back out the way she had come. Kate noticed with annoyance that she hadn't bothered to close the door on her way out, forcing Kate to do it instead. Clearly that had been Anita's goal – one last parting shot.

* * *

After getting herself mostly settled, Kate decided to do a little exploring to get the lay of the land, and to see if maybe that kitchenette had a coffee maker. As she walked down the eerily quiet hallway, she noticed a variety of educational posters on the walls on the topics of ecology, conservation, recycling and local plant and animal life. The center clearly had an environmental focus.

"Aha!" a voice called out from the teacher's lounge up ahead.

Kate rounded the corner into the lounge curious to see who was there. As she walked in the room, she saw Castle standing in front of an open cupboard, his arms raised over his head in a victory pose, one hand holding a package. He caught sight of her out of the corner of his eye and immediately dropped his hands, the color creeping up his neck to rest hotly in his cheeks.

"Um, I...Officer Beckett..." he stammered a bit with the embarrassment of being caught in an awkward moment. But he rallied quickly remembering what he had found and a huge smile broke out across his face. "Look what I found!" he beamed at her, like a kid who had just found a treasure map and was eager to start a journey.

She looked at the package in his hand, now outstretched towards her and a smile crept across her face too. "Coffee," she said with a wave of relief. It was just what she needed.

"Ah, another coffee lover I see. So shall I make enough for two?" he looked at her with eyebrows raised over sparkling blue eyes. _Damn his eyes are incredible,_ thought Kate as they stared at each other. "Officer? Coffee?" he asked again when she didn't answer right away.

"Oh, yes, sorry. I'd love some. It's actually just what I was looking for," she replied, a little color running up to her cheeks now.

"Perfect. Well, just sit back now and relax and let me take care of everything." Castle turned to prepare the coffee while Kate found a seat on one of the couches. It was nice to just sit and relax for a few minutes and let someone else take care of things. She was always the one getting coffee for Montgomery at the station – maybe this was going to be a nice change of pace after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Still unfortunate that I don't own Castle. Still sad every day because of it. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

* * *

Kate watched him work, sizing him up, her analytic cop brain unable to stop investigating, even when there was no case to solve. He was quite tall, over six feet, and he looked strong. He was wearing blue jeans and a dark green t-shirt, both of which hugged his body just enough for her to see that he was in good shape. His hair fell in front of his forehead shaggily and the stubble on his jaw suggested that he hadn't shaved that morning. He was handsome, but not polished like the pictures shown on the back covers of his books. No, here in the casual environment of tents and campfires and hiking, he was...almost rugged. There was a confidence about him that felt comforting to Kate. He wasn't too formal or pretentious as she thought the famous writer might be. He was casual, laid back and seemed fairly down to earth.

After Castle had added the water and coffee to the machine and powered it on, he turned to face her. He leaned casually back against the counter, his hands partially holding his weight behind him. A hint of a smile tugged at his lips as Castle resumed his earlier appraisal of Officer Beckett. She sat leaning back on the couch but there was still a hint of tightness to her, which could have been the remnants of her long drive, or, more likely, from her training as a police officer – always thinking, always ready. He knew from earlier that she was tall, but the way her long legs crossed each other in her tight fitting blue jeans made him swallow hard. Her long hair which had curled loosely around her shoulders when they first met was now pulled back messily into a bun, several strands having fallen out around her face. She wore light makeup that accentuated her obviously natural beauty and her dark brown eyes shone fiercely. Brown eyes...or were they green? He wondered as she turned her head slightly and the light reflected in a way that made him unsure. He vowed to get close enough by the end of their trip to find out.

She seemed alert and aware of her surroundings, like she had sized up the room upon entering, just in case. Perhaps the cop training just never eased up. _I wonder if she's sized me up?_ Castle mused with interest. _I wonder what she sees._

"So, Mr. Castle," Kate spoke, her tone measured but not forceful. "What brings you here this week? You're not doing research for a new book are you?"

_So, she does know who I am._ Castle smiled, "No, I'm here with my daughter, Alexis. She's one of the students. They needed another male chaperone, and, well, I can't say no to her."

Kate relaxed a bit, hearing that he was just a regular dad regardless of his fame. "Wow, that's really nice of you. It must be hard to take time away from your busy schedule to do these kinds of things with her. I bet she appreciates it." Kate tried to sound casual but felt so lame, like she didn't really know how to talk to him or what to say. She didn't want to pry but she was now really interested to know more about his daughter.

"Actually I just finished a new book a couple of months ago but it hasn't been launched yet. Something about the cover art not being right? I'm not sure really. My agent and my publishers deal with all of that. Anyways, as it stands I happen to have a lot of free time on my hands right now."

"Well I'm sure it will all work out," Kate offered. "It seems that all your books have done very well."

_Was that a compliment?_ He wasn't sure. "Yes, they have. Have you read any of them?" He didn't usually ask whether people had read his books. He never wanted to seem boastful, but he really did want to know if Officer Beckett had read any of them, and what she thought. Usually people offered their thoughts freely about his writing, but she seemed a bit hesitant to answer.

"Yes I have," she responded simply and looked out the window beside her, trying to focus on anything but the thoughts running through her mind. She wasn't ready yet to share with him just what his books had meant to her.

_What was that? That look she just got in her eyes? What _was _that? _He saw it before when they were first introduced and here it was again. He gazed at her questioningly but she wasn't looking at him.

Just then the coffee maker gurgled and sputtered and Castle turned to see the last few drops falling into the now brimming pot. He grabbed two mugs down off the shelf and poured them both full. "Do you take anything in yours?" he asked as he reached for the sugar bowl.

"Yes, sugar please. And milk if there is any." He prepared the two drinks and crossed the room to join Beckett on the couch.

"Careful it's hot," he said as she took the steaming mug from his hand. Their fingers grazed lightly causing an electric spark to course through both of them.

"No really?" she asked laughing and rolling her eyes at the obviousness of his statement.

"Right," he sat down chuckling at himself.

They both sipped at their coffee, trying to relax.

Kate released a long sigh and a contented look rose to her face. "Good?" Castle asked, pleased that she was enjoying it.

"Yeah, it's not bad. I mean, it's no Starbucks, but it's just what I needed."

"Starbucks, eh? Hmm, let me guess, I'm pretty good at this game. Um, I bet you order a non-fat vanilla latte with extra foam. Am I right?" He asked, mouth smiling, eyes twinkling.

She smiled back at him, a bit surprised to find that his guess was not far off. "Actually it's two pumps sugar free vanilla – not so sweet so you can still taste the espresso in there."

"Ahh, an inspired order Officer Beckett," he said lightly.

"Thanks, but you don't have to call me Officer," she replied. "I'm not exactly on duty."

"Fair enough, well then Beckett, you can drop the 'Mr.' too." He smiled, hoping she didn't mind that he took her literally and just dropped the 'Officer' from her name. He liked the way her last name rolled off his tongue. It was a strong name and he really thought it suited her. And to call her Kate, for some reason it just seemed so personal, so intimate. Maybe later...

His use of just her last name caught her off guard, but she liked it. It made her feel at home since everyone at work just called her Beckett too. But, she didn't now like the idea of calling him by his first name, Richard seemed so formal and she didn't want to presume that he shortened it_. What would it be anyways? _She wondered. _Rick? Dick? No...she could _not_ call him that. _She thought she had heard Anita call him Ricky as they each went into their rooms earlier._ Actually I believe what I heard was 'I'll be right across the hall if you get lonely Ricky.' Eww, gross._

She decided to use the same tact that he had. "Okay, then, Castle it is." They both smiled at each other, their eyes locked in a kind of dance that hinted at a more intimate connection.

Before it got to the point of being too awkward, Castle cleared his throat and looked back to his coffee, a sheepish smile hidden behind the mug. She too focused back on her coffee, despite enjoying that smile she saw creeping onto his face.

* * *

"So, Beckett," he finally said looking up at her as Kate lowered her mug to the coffee table in front of them. "What are you really doing here?"

The question caught her totally off guard and she stiffened slightly. After the conversation she'd had with Anita, she wasn't really interested in fending off more prying eyes.

Castle noticed her reaction and wondered if she was upset with his question or trying to cover her true purpose.

"What do you mean Castle?" she asked trying unsuccessfully to feign surprise. "I'm here because the NYPD has started a program designed to get kids and cops working together. To show them they don't need to be afraid of talking to the police. To teach them how to be safe."

"Come on now Beckett, that might be true for inner city kids who don't like to snitch on their friends, who are dealing with gangs and drugs every day, but these are prep school kids. The worst trouble they're getting into is spending too much money on their parent's credit cards. These are kids who know that if they need help, the police are there for them. There's got to be more to this."

Kate considered Castle's words carefully. She thought that maybe he was suggesting, like Anita had, that she had been given a crappy assignment for a reason. She didn't like the implications behind his words.

"Castle there's no hidden motives here. I'm here as part of a..."

"...NYPD program," he finished her sentence for her, nodding. "Yes you said that, but I'm not really sure I buy it. I got the distinct impression from Miss Travers that there was more to it."

"This isn't one of your mystery novels, Mr. Castle," Beckett snapped at him. He was disappointed by the use of his proper name again and he really couldn't figure out why she was getting so upset. "I'm here for the program. That's it." She picked up her coffee cup from the table and stood up. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Beckett," he started, but she turned and stormed away.

"Beckett, wait!" He called after her as she moved through the doorway. _I don't get it, what did I say?_ Castle didn't understand why she had taken his comments so personally. He had really sensed that Miss Travers was hiding something and thought Beckett could uncover that little mystery. But what could she have taken such offense to? He reviewed the conversation in his mind but just couldn't pinpoint the issue.

As a look of frustration clouded Rick's face, Anita walked in the room. "Oh there you are Ricky," she cooed at him. "I was just looking for you. Thought we could spend some time together before we go on the hike. You know, get to know each other a little better." She walked over to the couch and sat down right beside him, her thigh brushing against his on the seat, her shoulder rubbing on his arm.

He stood up before she could place her hand on his knee and hurriedly said, "Sorry, Anita, I'm just going out to see Alexis. I'll see you later." He walked around the coffee table and made his hasty retreat from the room. He wasn't sure exactly where he was going, but he knew anywhere would be better than with her. And he needed some time to think about what had just happened with Beckett. He did not want this to put a damper on their time together before they had even gotten the chance to know each other.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Here's the next chapter, and hopefully will have another one or two this weekend (well hopefully more than that, but each new chapter always seems to take so much longer than I think it will)**

**Thank you for all the reviews! Keep 'em coming!**

**Disclaimer: Usually disclaimer. Sad that I don't own Castle, but oh, so happy that someone does :) My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show. I love Mondays :)**

* * *

Castle wandered aimlessly out of the building. He looked around the campsite hoping to see Beckett somewhere so he could apologize for, well, for whatever it was that he'd said. To his regret, she was nowhere to be seen. He continued walking out into the field towards the tents where the kids seemed to have settled in and were now enjoying the sunshine.

He loved that the kids had decorated their tents and wondered which one was Alexis'. She had chosen to bunk with a couple of her closest friends. They were all really fun girls and way too smart for their own good. At several sleepovers at the Castle loft they had spent as much talking with him about life and literature as they did painting their nails and watching chick flicks.

As he looked at all the tents he noticed that several of them had been named by their new occupants. Some of them were pretty funny and he laughed as a couple of the names caught his attention. _Saunter Inn, Comeon Inn, The Tiki Tent, Uncle Tom's Cabin._ He figured the last one might have been where Tommy Penn was staying. Maybe best to avoid that one, just in case Anita was lurking around.

Just then he caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eye. He turned just in time to stretch out his arms and catch his favourite nine-year-old as she jumped up for a big bear hug. A huge smile broke out across his face and he gripped her tight and spun her in a big circle. She squealed with delight and hugged him back.

"Hey pumpkin," he said into her hair as they twirled around.

"Hi Dad!" Castle set her back on her feet. "Are you having fun? Isn't this great? I'm having such a good time. It's just so beautiful here and I'm so glad you're here too. And the sun is out and all my friends are here and the tents are so awesome. Did you see them Dad? Did you see mine? Aren't they great?" She finally paused to catch her breath and looked up at him, her face bright with joy.

"Yeah it's great sweetie. But which tent is yours? I was just trying to figure it out."

She smiled back at him and pointed to one of the tents. It was covered in pink and purple streamers and balloons that sparkled in the sunlight. It totally clashed with the bright orange canvass tent, but he could see Alexis reflected in its colorful design.

"It looks great. Definitely the best one here," he replied.

"Did you see what we named it?" she asked raising her eyebrows, mouth slightly open in anticipation of his reaction.

He looked over at the tent again and chuckled. Right out front was a huge neon pink sign that read _'We're Intense'._ He laughed at the double meaning, especially given the study habits of the kids she was rooming with. They were like a quirky combination of the Mickey Mouse Club and a Mensa club for nine-year-olds.

He nodded his head, a knowing smile on his face, "I see what you did there. You must be the daughter of a very talented writer to come up with something so clever."

"Dad," she groaned at his silly arrogance.

"So, what have you been doing? Did you get settled or just spend your time decorating?"

"Oh, no we're all settled. We unpacked, set up our beds – Taylor's on the left and I'm on the right and Chelsea is in the middle – and we filled up our water bottles at the meal hall, and braided each other's hair. And then we decorated." She smiled up at him like it was completely normal to have gotten all that done in such a short amount of time. Castle grimaced as he realized that all he had managed to do was throw some of his clothes into the dresser in his room and find coffee. She was clearly not always a chip off the old block. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Well, I made coffee," he replied almost as a question.

"That's it?" she laughed at him.

"Hey," he replied laughing defensively, "I prioritized and did the most important thing first. I would think you'd be proud of me for that. Plus, now I have enough caffeine in my system to keep up with you kids on the hike."

"Well I guess that's good then," she replied. "Okay Dad, I'm going to go get my sweater for the hike. I'll see you soon." Alexis started to walk back to her tent but stopped after a few steps. "Dad?" she asked turning back to face him.

"Yes pumpkin?"

"Thanks for being here." She smiled that intensely beautiful smile that just melted his heart.

"Alexis, there's nowhere else I'd rather be," he replied, his heart overflowing. Alexis turned and walked back to her tent, joining her friends who had gathered to get ready for the hike. Castle turned as well and headed back to his room to get ready too.

* * *

Just before three, Castle picked up a light hooded sweater from his bag and headed out the door. As he stepped out and looked up he came face to face with Beckett. They both stopped mid-step, startled by each other's presence. She was still processing their previous interaction and she really didn't want to talk about it right then.

Kate had spent the time since they argued in her room, trying to relax. She'd tried napping, listening to music, and reading, but none of those things could shake her discomfort. She wasn't exactly angry, but she was feeling really out of her element and coupled with the reasons for her new assignment, she felt like her confidence was slipping a bit.

The more she'd thought about it, the more she realized that Castle hadn't known about her conversation with Anita, so it wasn't likely that he was trying to pry like she had, at least not with the same intent to make Kate feel bad. He didn't seem to be the kind of guy who would belittle someone on first meeting them. And there was no way that he knew that Montgomery had ordered her to be there. It didn't seem likely that he would jump to that specific an assumption. And didn't he say something about Miss Travers? What did he say? That he got the impression from Miss Travers that there was more to Kate's presence here. Maybe he was suggesting that Miss Travers was hiding something, not Kate?

She realized she had probably read too much into Castle's question and wasn't sure how to explain herself to him without going into detail about why she really was here. It was all far too confusing and complicated, especially since they had just met.

Finally wanting to really clear her head, she decided to make her way outside for some fresh air and to wait for the group to gather for the hike in the woods. When she opened her door, he was standing right there. A small smiled showed hesitantly across her face, but not wanting to start up a long conversation, Kate quickly said hi and then turned to walk down the hall.

"Beckett," Castle called after her, pleading with her to stop. When she didn't slow down, he called again. "Kate, please wait."

At the sound of her first name she slowed to a stop, but didn't turn around. "What?" she asked softly looking straight ahead, she was unsure how to react. She wanted to clear the air, but didn't think this was the time. After the long drive, the unpleasant encounter with Anita, and their argument in the teacher's lounge, she knew she really wasn't in the right head space to have a conversation. She was worried that she would end up saying something she didn't mean, and she really didn't want this to ruin their time here. This was supposed to be relaxing. Plus the kids would be gathering for the hike and she didn't want to make them wait.

Castle caught up to her and stepped around to face her. "Beckett, look, I'm not really sure what happened earlier. Clearly you think I said something wrong but I really don't know what it was." He looked intently at her but she wasn't making eye contact.

"Look, don't worry about it Castle. I was just tired from the drive, and then Anita..." her voice trailed off, not wanting to say more about any of it.

"Anita?" he asked confused. _What did this have to do with Anita?_

"It's nothing," she replied. "I'm fine. It's fine."

There was an awkward silence between them and it was clear that Castle wasn't buying it. Beckett was smiling at him now, but it didn't reach her eyes, it was forced. But, he really didn't know what else to say without making her feel like he was pushing her. Her jaw was set with a clear resolve and he could sense that he wouldn't be able to get through her defenses in this moment. Her walls were going to take some time to break down.

"We should get outside for the hike," Beckett finally managed to say and walked past Rick and out the door. Rick sighed deeply trying to figure out how to make things right. Maybe the fresh air and exercise of the hike would help. Maybe she just needed a little more time and encouragement to talk to him.

He straightened his shoulders and tipped his chin up. She may have resolved to walk away but he was now resolved to walk with her.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Not sure if maybe things are moving a bit too slowly. Every time I start to write a new chapter I think about all the things that could happen, but then I get so caught up in the details of each scene that it takes forever to write them. At this rate, with the plan I have, it will take me to a full length novel! Anyways, I'm almost done the next chapter so hopefully will post again tonight. And it will be much more Caskett focussed so stay tuned! Hope you enjoy. Feedback welcome.**

**Disclaimer: Still unfortunate that I don't own Castle. Still sad every day because of it. My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

* * *

The group had finally assembled after a few last minute bathroom trips by some of the kids and they were now about to head out. The sun was still shining and the birds were singing. A light breeze blew through the trees waving their branches lazily about. The kids were all chattering excitedly, ready for some activity.

Kate had moved to the head of the group to stand with Miss Travers so that she could be formally introduced. "Can I please have everyone's attention," Miss Travers waited patiently as the group slowly settled, twenty-two sets of eyes now gazing upon the stranger who nervously stared back. "This is Officer Kate Beckett from the 12th Precinct of the New York Police Department." A few students shifted nervously at hearing she was a cop. "Officer Beckett is here to spend the week with us. She's going to be participating in all our activities to get to know you better and she's going to talk to us about how to stay safe, both here and in the city. Let's give her a big welcome." The kids clapped hesitantly not really understanding why Kate was there with them.

"Miss Travers?" asked Tommy Penn. Castle thought he seemed more nervous than most of the kids, who appeared to see Kate more as a novelty than someone to be feared. "Is someone in trouble?"

Miss Travers looked at Kate and laughed lightly. "No, Tommy, no one is in trouble. Officer Beckett, would you care to explain?"

Kate looked around at the students now silent with anticipation to hear her speak. "Um, sure, Miss Travers," she started, feeling a little flustered, but slowly gaining her footing. "So, the NYPD has started a new program where cops get to spend time with local students. Some people go into classrooms to do a presentation, some help coach school sports teams, and I got the chance to come with you to camp. I'm really excited to be here, and I think it'll be really fun to get to know all of you and try out some of the cool activities this week. And if you have any questions at all, you can ask me and I'll try to answer them. Basically, I'm just here to have fun, just like you guys."

Castle watched from the back of the group, impressed by how Kate was handling herself. She started slow but had seemed to gain more confidence with every word. Nine-year-olds were not the easiest bunch to entertain, but she seemed to be holding her own. And she was able to talk to them in a way that made the fact that she was a cop much less intimidating. These kids weren't used to seeing cops around really at all, unless it was for something really bad, so this was actually quite a good chance for them to see the police in another light. Now that he considered it, maybe the program was actually going to be beneficial, even for these prep school kids. As they started off on the hike, he began to form an idea about how to fix their earlier argument and this hike might just give him the perfect chance to put it into action.

* * *

As the group made their way through camp, Rick tried to position himself to walk with Beckett. If they could put just a little distance between them and the pack, they could talk about what happened. And he could apologize for his questions, which he realized that he hadn't really done before. Unfortunately, his luck really wasn't that good today.

"I'm very mad at you Ricky." He didn't even see her coming. _Anita_. He groaned inwardly. She had somehow managed to come up behind him and was now linking arms with him as they walked.

"I'm sorry?" he asked completely confused. He was looking around to find Kate, but she had moved off with a group of students and was answering their myriad of questions. Perhaps his plan wasn't going to be so easy to execute.

"Well, after you so rudely left me sitting in the lounge, I went to pour myself some of that delicious smelling coffee you made, but there was none left!" Castle fought hard to keep the smile off his face. Not that he wouldn't have made more coffee if he'd known that anyone else wanted some, but it was kind of funny. And it reminded him of Kate, not the argument they'd had, but the smile on her face when she took that first delicious sip, the satisfaction and relief spreading down through her whole body as the coffee warmed her from the inside out. She had looked so beautiful, just those dark eyes behind the mug, the swirling steam coming up from its contents giving her an exotic and mystical appearance. He felt like he could write an entire story just about those eyes. They were so expressive and he thought there must be so many interesting stories behind them. He wondered what it was like for her to be a cop, what she had seen in her job and how she managed to deal with it all.

"So where did you go off to this afternoon?" Castle snapped back to attention, not realizing that he had kind of zoned out there for a minute. Anita however seemed oblivious.

"I told you Anita, I went to find Alexis. Wanted to make sure that she got settled in okay. Did you check in on Tommy?" Castle was struggling unsuccessfully to find a way to extricate his arm from hers without making it too obvious.

"Oh, no, I'm sure he's fine. He manages to get himself into and out of scrapes all day long without my help so I tend to just let him do his thing. Plus what nine-year-old wants to hang out with their parents?" Anita leaned closer and laughed that terrible laugh right in his ear, making him wince and try to move away, but she had a pretty firm grip on him now. As he considered what she had just said, Castle wondered how Tommy felt having Anita as a mom. He wondered if Tommy got into and out of trouble because she was uninvolved, or whether she was uninvolved because of his scrapes.

"Actually," he finally replied, "Alexis and I love hanging out together. It's a lot of fun." He wanted to add that she should try it sometime, but he wouldn't ever presume to tell another person how to be a parent. Most days he felt like he was making it up as he went along as it was, so who was he to give advice? He was blessed to have a child who was a dream. She was so easy to raise and they really did have so much fun together. But he knew not everyone had what he had. He knew how lucky he was.

"Wow, a man who takes an interest in his child, that's nice." There was some serious sarcasm in Anita's voice and Castle took the hint that her ex-husband probably wasn't the most available guy. He didn't respond as there really wasn't anything he could say, and he really didn't want this line of conversation to continue.

Castle looked at the group of students now spreading out into a line, the kids clumped in twos and threes as they walked through the trees. Miss Travers approached the pair and asked if they would mind leading the hike. They were just walking along a trail so they didn't need to know where they were going, and she needed some adult supervision at the head of the group to keep pace, and to keep peace. Castle looked around again to see if he could spy Kate, but she and Don had set up at the rear of the group to keep the last stragglers moving along at a steady pace. He felt he had no choice but to comply with Miss Travers request. He was there, after all, to chaperone the trip, not to satisfy his curiosity about Officer Beckett.

The hike continued fairly uneventfully. Anita talked his ear off the whole time, not really listening to any of his replies. It was almost like he wasn't there. He kind of felt like when he met with his publisher and agent. They talked around him most of the time and rarely listened to his opinions. Finally he managed to tune out her droning on about some charity she was involved with long enough to really appreciate the beauty around him.

There hadn't been any of the usual spring rain in the last couple of weeks so the earth under their feet was firm and even. Leaves of all shapes and sizes were reaching to find the rays of sun that had finally awoken them from their winter slumber. Buds were starting to bloom in a variety of colors and the grasses were perking up green and fresh and new. He took a long deep breath taking in the smell of spring, crisp and clean, and looked up to face the sun every time they walked into a clearing. It really was a glorious day and despite Anita's ramblings, he was really enjoying the walk.

After a few moments, Rick happened to look down to notice that his shoe had come untied. Not wanting to take any chances, and seeing this as an opportunity to get away from Anita, he bent down to tie it back up. Anita slowed as well to wait for him as a group of particularly rowdy boys barreled past Rick.

"Anita, I think you'd better keep up with those boys. I'll just tie up my shoe and get back up there with you." Castle knew that this was not his real plan, but he really needed some time away from her.

She hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. She didn't want to lose her hold on Rick, but even she could see that these boys needed some supervision. "Well, okay then Ricky, but don't you keep me waiting. I have so much more to tell you about my trip down to Fort Lauderdale. I was just getting to the part about the terrible service we had at the West Beach Hotel. It will really shock you." She hesitated again before finally returning to the head of the line and to keep her eye on the boys.

Rick tied his shoe and stood, stretching as he did so. A few more students filed past him, along with Miss Travers. "Oh, Miss Travers," Rick started wondering just how he should word his request. "I um, had to stop to tie my shoe, but I was wondering if you would mind going up and joining Anita at the front of the line. I, uh, could use a little...quiet..." he looked sheepishly at Miss Travers hoping he'd been politically correct enough that she would catch his meaning but not think badly about him.

A knowing look crossed her face. "Oh, sure Mr. Castle. I'm surprised you lasted this long." She gave him a discreet wink.

He laughed a bit self-consciously replying, "Thanks for your...understanding. And please, call me Rick."

She smiled back at him, "Of course Rick. Not to worry, I'll move up to the front. Oh, and please call me Liz."

Rick smiled back at her as she moved off to join Anita. He laughed a bit at realizing that he wasn't the only one having to deal with her this week and perhaps if they all pitched in and took turns, no one would get stuck spending too much time with her. Castle hoped that somewhere, deep down, she must have some redeemable qualities. He just wasn't sure he was willing to spend enough time with her to find them.

"What's so funny?" A voice behind him asked. He turned to see Alexis and her friends walking up towards him.

"Well hello ladies," Castle responded dripping with charm. "And how are we all enjoying the hike?"

"Hi Mr. Castle," the girls all chimed in and all at once they started telling him what a great time they were having and what a beautiful day it was and how invigorating the hike was. One of them actually used the word invigorating. It made Castle chuckle a bit.

Looking at the group he realized that there was a new face among them. It was the girl that Alexis had rescued from her solitude earlier that day. The two were walking with arms linked, bright smiles on their faces, a warm rosy glow lighting up their cheeks. "Hello Alexis, who's your new friend?" Castle smiled that winning smile that disarmed everyone he met. He had this way of making people feel like he was really interested in them. In truth he was, he was interested in everyone, interested in their story. He was fascinated by the inner workings of everyone he met, or saw on the street, or read about in a book. His mind was consumed by the need to understand people.

"Dad, this is Paige. She's new at school." Alexis was very matter of fact, but also showed some concern for this young girl who had yet to make any friends. The one thing Castle was so proud of his daughter for was her compassion for others. She had always wanted to make sure that everyone around her felt comfortable and appreciated, even as a little girl she had made sure that all of her stuffed animals were placed around her room in pairs, so that none was left alone.

"Well hello Paige, it's nice to meet you."

"Hi Mr. Castle. Alexis told me you're a writer, is that true?" she looked up at him in admiration.

"Yes it is. I write mystery novels."

"Oh I like mystery novels, they're my favorite kind of book. My favorite is Nancy Drew."  
"Mmm," Castle nodded in assent. "Yes, I really like Nancy Drew too. I hear they're launching a new series about her called Girl Detective. I can't wait to read them."

Paige looked over at Alexis, "Wow, Alexis, your dad is so cool. Mine doesn't even know who Nancy Drew is." Castle smiled at being called the cool dad.

"Did you hear that Alexis? I'm the cool dad. You'll do well to remember that." Castle grinned like a schoolboy.

A group of boys ran past them as Alexis rolled her eyes at Rick as only a nine-year-old, wise beyond her years, can. "Not sure I'll have to worry about remembering that," she said teasingly at him. "I'm sure you'll remind me every chance you get. Come on girls, let's go catch up with the boys and let my dad spend a few minutes enjoying knowing that he's the cool dad, without interruptions."

Castle grabbed her around the shoulders and squeezed lightly as she giggled. "I heard that, you said I'm the cool dad. Seriously don't forget it." Castle's face turned fake-serious for just a moment before his smile broke out.

Alexis and the other girls picked up their pace to try to catch up to the boys that had run past them as Castle marvelled again at just how proud of his little girl he was. He wasn't sure what he did that was so right, but she was really a great kid.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: So things are finally moving along. I've got this whole story pretty much mapped out now. Unfortunately it's busy marking time at school so my updates may not be quite as regular as they've been to this point, but I'll do my best to keep them coming. Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed - the feedback has been so encouraging! I really appreciate everyone of you for reading my little story.**

**Disclaimer: I love Castle. I want to own it, but I don't. If I did there would be no re-runs on Monday nights, most scenes would likely involve Castle and Beckett flirting or banter or handshakes or kissing or all of the above. And all of it would happen in full lighting so we don't have to adjust the brightness on our TVs. Maybe it's better that I don't own it :) As always m****y highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

* * *

Up ahead on the path, Kate could see Castle talking to a few of the girls. _One of them must be his daughter,_ she thought. _I wonder which one she is._ They seemed to be laughing and having a good time and all the girls stood staring in awe of him. She softened as he addressed one of the girls specifically, like they were old friends. But Kate knew from Miss Travers that Paige was the new girl in the class, having just moved to New York City with her parents from upstate a couple of weeks ago. He seemed to listen to her with such interest, like she was the only one there with him. He was giving her his full attention and she seemed so pleased to have it. It was evident that Castle knew how to make people feel at ease, yet another reason why he couldn't have been digging for information about her and her assignment earlier. It was likely just curiosity, not malice.

As she continued walking, a group of boys that she and Don had spent the whole hike wrangling, suddenly took off at a run up the path. She and Don looked at each other and Kate rolled her eyes, then they both smiled realizing that they were just boys being boys. But, just to be safe, Don headed out after them, leaving Kate to walk on her own.

She looked again to Castle and saw him put his arm around one of the students and squeeze. The girl, flaming red hair caught alight by the sun, giggled and leaned into him. Kate heard him say something about being the cool dad and for the girl not to forget it. The smile on his face as he joked around with the kids was really quite heartwarming. She watched as the girls moved off and Rick stood frozen in place watching them walk away. He looked contented, enjoying the moment and Kate didn't want to disturb him.

She tried to take a quiet step forward but managed to step on a twig, which snapped loudly under her weight. _So much for my stealthy police skills,_ she thought. Castle turned around sharply and the two stood again face to face. He remained still, not sure exactly how to phrase what he wanted to say to her. But she spoke first, breaking the silence.

"Was that your daughter?" She tried to sound friendly, hoping to break some of the tension so their conversation didn't go like either of the last two. This was going to take some work on her part but she felt it was important to try.

"Yes," he replied stiffly, "the redhead, Alexis."

"Did I hear you trying to convince her in front of all her friends that you're the cool dad?" Kate asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

The tension in Rick's shoulders eased and he became animated as he replied, "What? No, what you heard was me confirming what the other kids said. I _am_ the cool dad. Just wanted to make sure Alexis doesn't forget." He grinned boastfully, but also jokingly.

"Uh-huh, I'm sure she doesn't need to bother remembering it on her own, you probably remind her all the time." Kate continued teasing but stopped short at the look on Castle's face. "What? Did I say something wrong? I was just joking. It was just a joke." She stammered hoping she hadn't ruined her chance to make up to him for her mood earlier that day.

Castle just shook his head in slight amazement, with a touch of admiration. "Alexis just said exactly the same thing." Kate giggled lightly. _Did I just giggle? Really? Wow, what's gotten into me?_

After a short pause, Kate realized that they had fallen back considerably from the rest of the group. Wanting to make sure all the kids stayed safe, she moved to start walking back along the path, but Rick remained rooted. Just as she passed him, she paused and looked up into his eyes, "You coming?"

Rick smiled back at her, maintaining eye contact, wanting it to hold forever. "Sure." Castle slowly joined her as she walked. He was glad for his earlier resolve to try to work through this with Kate. It felt so comfortable and natural to walk at her side.

A few moments later, after they had gotten a bit closer to the nearest group ahead, Kate decided to break the silence again.

"So, how's Anita? You two looked pretty cozy up there at the front of the line." She tried to sound nonchalant but worried that a tinge of annoyance showed through.

"Ugh," Castle replied exasperated, "that woman is inexhaustible! She never stopped talking the whole time. I know more about her trips to Fort Lauderdale, and her private puppy trainer slash pool boy, and her Swedish nail technician than any man should."

"Mmm, you looked like you might be enjoying the attention," Kate hinted, a sparkle in her eye.

"What? Are you kidding? The _only_ reason I was with her was because Liz asked if we would lead the hike. If I'd had any other choice I would have taken it."

"Liz? Oh so you're on a first name basis with all the ladies here then? My, my Mr. Castle, you do get around." Kate was actually really enjoying this. The ice had been successfully broken between them and Castle was really quite adorable trying to back out of this hole he had found himself in. She just hoped that Castle could see by the look on her face that she was, in fact, just teasing.

Castle looked at her defensively, trying to figure out just what to say, but realizing he didn't have much of a leg to stand on, he simply replied, "I'm not going to win this am I?"

Kate giggled and looked up at him. _Giggled. Again. Who was she?_ He was a bit frazzled but also seemed to be enjoying their banter.

"Okay, _Beckett_, you win," Castle said, intentionally using her last name. "The real reason I'm here this week is not to chaperone my daughter's field trip, it's so that I can pick up women. Usually my options at school events include Katie's 70 year old grandmother that smells like sausages and Eddie's dad with the hairy chest and gold chains, so I'm really quite hopeful about making a real love match here."

Kate laughed out loud at his joking. "Hmm, Eddie's dad sounds like a real catch. Maybe I should come to more of these things."

Castle laughed at her. It was pretty awesome to find another person with a sense of humor like his. It wasn't often that he could find someone who could keep up with him.

After a brief lull in the banter they both spoke at once.

"Castle, I –"

"So Beckett –"

They both stopped and laughed awkwardly as happens in most moments such as these.

"Ladies first," Castle finally responded.

"Castle, I'm sorry if I overreacted to you earlier today," Kate wanted to add more but still wasn't sure how much to say.

"No, Kate, it was totally my fault. I overstepped and I'm sorry." Kate felt the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach at hearing his soft tone and his use of her first name. He was actually giving her a sincere and heartfelt apology. A quiet moment settled between them as Kate carefully chose the words she wanted to say to him. She felt it was only fair that she try to provide some explanation for her behavior.

"I think you just caught me off guard, pressing me with questions like that. I had just had a fairly unpleasant run in with Anita and I think I was still reeling a bit from that." Kate hoped that she was explaining herself well, but she wasn't sure.

"Yes, you said something about Anita when we were in the hallway. What happened? What did she say to you?" Castle seemed genuinely concerned.

"Well, she basically implied that if I was given a crappy assignment like this, then there must be a reason why."

"A reason?" Castle asked. "Like what kind of reason?" Castle was getting angry at the audacity of that woman. _Who did Anita think she was?_

"Well," Kate paused. Did she really want to get into all this with a complete stranger? No matter the connection they might have sensed with each other, she had met him just a few hours ago. It wasn't like her to open up to people that she had known for years, let alone someone she'd just met. But at the same time, something deep inside was telling her that it was okay to open up to him, that she could trust him. Her Beckett resolve, however, got the best of her this time and she offered only a partial answer.

"Oh, well, stupid things, like she asked if I had just broken up with someone and was trying to get away to get over him." Kate stared at the ground as they continued walking. This was not a moment she wanted to make eye contact. She didn't like telling half truths, but she also didn't want to let go of what little control she felt like she might have left.

"Oh." Castle replied softly, hesitating, then finally adding as his curiosity got the better of him, "did you?" She looked at him, a flash of anger and defiance building up in her, until she saw the kindness of his eyes, the concern in his hesitant smile. With that one look he disarmed the arsenal she was about to fire on him. With one look, she knew that he truly wanted just to know if she was okay.

A small smile grew on her lips as she replied, "No, Castle I didn't just break up with someone. In fact I haven't dated anyone for a while, so I'm fine." She wasn't sure why she had added that last part. It was more than she had meant to share.

"Oh well that's good," Castle replied quickly. His breath caught in his throat though as he realized how that might have sounded. Looking at her he quickly tried to explain what he had meant. "I mean, um, I just mean that it's good that, well, I didn't mean that it's good you haven't been dating anyone, I, um, shit, I'm not really explaining this well am I?" She shook her head laughing as he back-pedaled. "Ok," he finally said regrouping. "What I meant was, that it's good that you're fine, that you're okay."

"Right. Well, um, thanks? I think?" He smiled as he realized that she recognized the concern he had for her, despite his bumbling attempts to explain.

"So, when you came into the teacher's lounge, you had just been harassed by Anita?" Kate nodded her head. "And then I pressed you with questions about the same thing." She continued nodding as he processed the chain of events that had led to their argument. "Kate, I hope you know, I wasn't asking you if there was a reason why _you personally_ are here. I was asking why someone from the NYPD is here _at all_. There was something in the way that Miss Travers had explained your presence that didn't sit right with me. I guess I was just looking for a mystery to solve. I'm really sorry I pushed you about it. If I'd known what you had just been through with Anita, I wouldn't have even asked."

"Castle, it's okay. It was my fault too. I jumped to the conclusion that you were prying about me just like Anita was. I could have handled it much better, especially after you were so nice to make me coffee."

"Hmm, yes, I did make you coffee." There was a hint of a joke in his voice. "So then to summarize, we're both sorry, and we're both forgiven?"

Kate smiled back at him, "Yes, that sounds about right."

"Excellent. I'm glad." Castle looked at Kate, so relieved that they had managed to sort out the problems from earlier that day. She smiled up at him and he could see that she too felt relief. He felt a warmth spreading throughout him that wasn't just from the rays of the sun.

They continued walking along the path, the students moving along ahead of them, nearing the end of their journey for the day. As they walked, Castle and Beckett fell into an easy conversation about movies and books and New York City life. They mostly talked about little things, comparing notes on their favorite pubs and pizzerias, museums and art galleries, and really everything in between. Castle spoke about spending days on end at the New York Public Library as a child and Beckett told him about going to baseball games with her dad. It was an easy conversation that flowed as though they'd known each other for years.

When they finally emerged from the trees back into the open clearing of the camp, Castle felt like he was on cloud nine. They continued up to the building, talking the whole way, neither paying any attention to anyone else around them. When they finally reached their bedroom doors, Kate looked up at Castle. "I'm really glad we got a chance to talk. I was worried that things might be awkward."

"Me too." Castle agreed.

"Anyways, I had a really good time. I guess I'll see you for dinner?"

"Yes, dinner." Castle hesitated a moment. He realized that he wanted to kiss her so badly. He knew that they had just met but he felt like they'd been through a lot together already and he felt like they were building a strong connection. And she was just so damned beautiful.

Just as he was about to lean in, she turned and opened her door. He pulled back and managed to maintain his composure long enough to open his own door too. They both stepped into their rooms, not saying another word, but just before the doors closed, they both looked up, their eye contact speaking volumes, electricity arcing between them. They stared silently for a moment before Beckett, with a light smile on her face, finally closed her door.

Castle closed his door too and walked to the middle of the room where he flopped down on his back on the bed. He stared at the ceiling, smiling like a kid in a candy store. _That was awesome. Best. Hike. Ever._

Across the hall Kate walked to the middle of her room and similarly flopped down onto her bed. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth, as if to hide her smile from prying eyes, though no one was in the room with her. _Wow, that was...awesome. Best. Hike. Ever._


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Well, this chapter certainly didn't turn out as I had originally intended. I was actually going to skip over dinner and go right on to the campfire, but, well, then this happened (my longest chapter yet) and I couldn't have stopped it if I'd tried. Hope you like it :) **

**And thank you all so much for some really great reviews! I'm still in a little awe that you're all liking the story so much. And for those of you who have said you hate Anita...I do too, but she's just so damned fun to write! **

**Disclaimer: Oh, if only Castle was mine... My highest praise goes to the writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

* * *

Kate bolted straight up in bed. She looked around confused, unsure where exactly she was. She took a deep breath and shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs, before finally remembering that she was at camp, on the school field trip. She had decided to try to take a nap after the hike and was surprised that she'd actually managed to fall asleep given how much electricity was coursing through her after that look she shared with Castle. She looked over at the clock next to the bed. It was almost six and the kids would all be gathering for dinner in the meal hall. With no time to do anything but grab her sweater and quickly don her shoes, she bolted from her room...and slammed headfirst into Castle who was on the same mad dash.

"Ooof!" Kate slammed into his chest and was knocked straight back against the wall. She fell hard to the floor, dazed.

"Kate! Oh my god Kate, are you okay? I'm so sorry!" Rick quickly crouched down lightly grabbing her arms to steady her.

"Castle?" she looked up at him totally confused about what had just happened.

"Kate? Are you alright? I'm so sorry, I was just, I saw I was running late to get to dinner, and I just rushed out of my room without looking. Please tell me you're okay. Did I hurt you?" He was a bit panicky, worried that he had really injured her.

_Did he hurt me? Would he hurt me? Kate, focus. _Kate shook her head lightly and took stock to see if she had actually suffered any kind of permanent damage. She tried to picture in her mind what had just happened and suddenly, she was laughing, almost uncontrollably at the ridiculousness of it all. Castle regarded her curiously, not exactly sure why she was laughing. He decided that either she wasn't actually injured and had suddenly found this really funny, or that she'd banged her head so hard she was loopy.

"Kate what's so funny?"

She finally looked up at him and made eye contact which only made her laugh harder. "Oh, Castle, I just, well, I just got an image in my head of what that must have looked like. A real Three Stooges move."

Castle joined in her laughter as he too pictured how comical it would have looked. "Okay, so you're not hurt then right?" He finally managed to ask.

Kate's laughter finally subsided. "No, I think I'm okay. But can you help me up?"

Castle put his hands around both her upper arms, just below her shoulders and lifted as she struggled to get her feet under her. He kept his hands on her arms even after she was standing under her own control and balance. He looked into her eyes deeply, his face probably closer than it needed to be, his breath easing after the shock of their encounter. Kate stared just as deeply into his eyes, aware of his closeness, his strength as he held her, and his warm breath, sweet with the smell of mint.

The two stood motionless, both getting their breathing under control from the collision, only to be struggling with it again as the energy built between them. Rick felt a warmth growing inside him as he slowly used one hand to brush some wayward hairs away from Kate's face and gently tuck them behind her ear. He smiled at her hesitantly, hoping she would give him some kind of sign that it was okay to do what he was longing to do.

Kate looked at Castle intensely. _What's happening?_ She thought, her mind racing. _He's not going to...oh I think he is...do I want him to? _She had not expected to be standing in Castle's arms like this, especially after their first encounter just a few short hours ago. Her head was spinning, and only partially because she had just slammed into the wall. _God, I barely even know this guy. I'm here working and he's got a kid and...oh my god he smells good. Vanilla, sandalwood, sweet but spicy. Oh...Kate, focus._

Just as Rick started moving in closer, a door flew open just a few feet from where they stood entranced. Startled, they both turned simultaneously and faced a very shocked Anita.

Castle dropped his hand from Kate's face, but left his other on her arm. He swallowed hard realizing how the scene must look, and although she almost walked in on something, nothing had actually happened. Rick, however, having been caught by the paparazzi several times in his career, managed to recover quickly. "Hey Anita. I was just helping Kate up." The words sounded like such a cover up, even to him.

Anita paused just gawking back and forth between the two in front of her. "Helping her up?" She finally stammered.

"Yeah, I was coming out of my room..." Castle started.

"And I was rushing out of mine..." Beckett joined in.

"And I didn't look where I was going..."

Kate looked up graciously at Castle, "No, it was all me. I wasn't looking at all and I thought I was running late so I ran without thinking anyone would be out here."

"No Kate it's totally my fault. I should have paid more attention, should have been more careful." They had turned back to face each other, ignoring for a moment that Anita was standing right there and had almost walked in on a much more awkward picture. They both smiled at each other as they realized that really no one was at fault and they both were just thankful that Kate wasn't actually hurt.

"You fell?" Anita finally responded sarcastically after watching their back and forth. "Really? That's the story you're giving me? You fell?"

They both looked back at her in shock, having forgotten that Anita was even there.

"Well, actually I ran right into him," Kate tried again to convince Anita that there was nothing going on. _But was there something going on? Focus._ She shook the thought from her head and continued trying to explain. "And, well, I think I actually bounced off him, hit the wall and then fell." She thought she must sound totally absurd, even though it was the truth, and the look on Anita's face told her that it sounded as unlikely as she presumed.

Anita was now wearing that same sneer on her face that she had earlier in Kate's room. Clearly she wasn't buying it. "Well, whatever you say," she said, her tone dripping with disbelief. "I'm going to dinner. They'll be waiting." Anita pusher her way around them, glaring at Kate as she did so. It was clear that she was jealous of Kate and Rick's close connection and was blaming her feelings entirely on Kate.

As she moved down the hall, stomping more loudly than was necessary, almost like a child's tantrum, Rick looked back to Kate and asked again, "Are you sure you're okay? Really, did I hurt you?"

_There's that question again._ Kate looked back at him and laughed, trying to cover her concerns about what might be building between them and where it might lead. "Castle I'm fine. Really. I mean, it's not like you're 6'1" and solidly built or anything," She teased. "I mean, you're actually kind of soft." Kate looked at him for a moment with a mock seriousness before her eyes lit up, sparkling into his.

"Soft? Seriously?" He lifted both his arms and flexed his biceps. "_These are not soft_. Go on, touch them. They're hard like rocks...like steel? Like...well, they're really hard."

Kate laughed watching him try to impress her with his gun show. Although she had to admit, she wasn't kidding when she'd said he was solid, and the biceps that were now peeking out from under his t-shirt were proof that he was in great shape, better than she had originally thought actually. But clearly she couldn't let him know she thought that. "Castle, I'm not going to touch your muscles."

"_Yet_," he said drawing the word out. "You're not going to touch my muscles _yet._ But you will. Give it time Officer Beckett. You're not going to be able to resist for long, nobody can resist for long." He lowered his arms finally, breaking her gaze at his body. The color rose to her cheeks as she realized he was watching her watch him. "But so nice of you to admit I have muscles," he added lightly turning to start walking down the hall.

"Bu..." Kate started.

But Castle cut her off still walking away, "You coming? Dinner's probably cold by now."

She stared at him dumbfounded for a moment, trying to force the color from her face, but only making it worse as she watched, no _appreciated_, his body as he walked away.

"Kaaate," he called over his shoulder. "Stop staring at my ass and let's go."

Kate let out a quiet gasp as he totally called her out. _Oh my god! How did he know? Shit, who am I right now?_

* * *

Castle and Beckett walked into the meal hall with dinner in full swing. The kids were all chatting loudly while they ate, manners pretty much thrown out the window. No one really even noticed them walking in, except, of course, Alexis. She looked up from her dinner as she saw her father arrive unceremoniously late, and not only that, but he was with the police officer. _What was he doing? Why was he so late?_ Alexis looked up at him and then around at the other kids to see if anyone was watching.

"Alexis? Why is your dad so late?" Alexis glanced across the table at Paige, a look of shock and embarrassment on her face, completely stumped.

"I have no idea," she replied slowly as a few more of the kids at her table looked up too.

At that moment, Castle spied her staring at him from across the room and he returned her look of embarrassment.

"Dad?" Alexis mouthed the word, knowing he wouldn't hear her from that distance, but still wanting to question his obviously inappropriate entrance.

"Oh shit," Castle whispered as Kate looked up at him. He tried to break Alexis' shock and cheer her up with a big smile and a wave, but he only succeeded in causing her to blush and bury her face behind her hands.

"Uh-oh," Kate whispered back. "I think we're in trouble." She looked worried but amused at the same time at being chastised by a nine-year-old from twenty feet away.

"Nope," he looked down at her, "just me."

They finally walked over to the table where Miss Travers, Don and Anita sat eating their dinners. "So sorry we're late," Castle apologized for them both. "We had a bit of a...run-in." He and Kate looked at each other and smiled at his pun, though no one else really got it. Anita just harrumphed loudly.

Miss Travers looked up at the pair unconcerned by their lateness. "Oh, that's okay, everything is really under control here. You can go on up to the counter and get your dinners from Madge. She'll get you whatever you need."

Kate and Rick walked over to where Madge was looking out adoringly at the kids as they ate. She didn't look up at first. It was quite clear that she enjoyed her job and getting to see all the children. " Aren't they just so sweet?" Rick and Kate both looked out over the crowd. Kate saw a motley bunch of kids talking with their mouths full, wiping spaghetti sauce off their faces with their sleeves, picking dropped garlic bread off the floor and popping it into their mouths after a quick blow to remove any dirt. Rick saw Alexis, intentionally ignoring him. She was forcing a conversation with her friends who were trying to eat, just so she didn't have to look up at him.

Rick sighed loudly, "Yes, they are." He forced a weak smile that never quite reached his eyes.

Kate followed his gaze to see what had captured his attention. "Castle, are you okay?"

"What?" he looked down at her, his train of thought broken. "Oh, yeah, sure. I'm fine. Just...well, Alexis. I promised I wouldn't embarrass her this week. Clearly that's not working so well."

Kate looked apologetically at him and said, "I can explain it to her if you like. I mean, nothing happened, we just...well, we literally ran into each other. I'm sure she'll understand. She'll probably find it funny like we did."

"I hope so."

Madge straightened up, finally noticing the pair was looking a bit on the hungry side. "So, what can I get...oh my god it's you!" Madge's gaze had locked onto Castle and was now staring open-mouthed at him. "You're, no, it can't be. Can it? Are you...him? He? Are you...you?"

Rick laughed openly at her attentions and turned on the charm for her. "Hi, Rick Castle," he said holding out his hand, giving her that patented Castle smile. Kate watched on in silence and awe.

Madge quickly peeled off her plastic glove, wiped her hand briefly on her apron and took his in a firm grasp. She pumped their hands up and down several times, gushing as she did so. "Oh my, well, it really is you isn't it? Well, whatever are you doing here?" She was still shaking their hands.

"Well, my daughter is one of the students and I'm here as a chaperone." Rick gently placed his other hand on theirs to stop the shaking. She looked down and realized her exuberance and blushed.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." She apologized. Then, "well, which one is she?" Rick pointed proudly to where Alexis sat staring at him again her face as red as the sauce on her noodles, just shaking her head in resigned frustration. "Well, isn't she beautiful? She must just be the apple of your eye. And aren't you a good father to be coming up here to camp with her despite your busy schedule." She looked over and eyed Kate, a look of mild disbelief on her face. "And are you her mother?" She sounded a little disappointed that maybe Castle was off the market, though Kate doubted that Castle would consider a relationship with this portly little grandmother of a lady.

"What? Me? Oh, no! No, I'm not her mother," Kate stammered flustered at the insinuation that she would be old enough to have a daughter that age. Though if she really thought about it, technically she was.

"No, Madge, this is Officer Kate Beckett with the NYPD. She's another chaperone here this weekend." Castle clarified.

"Oh, dear me. Officer, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to assume..." her voice trailed off but it was clear that she was a bit relieved. Kate smiled awkwardly.

"Well, now Madge," Castle took the attention off Kate and the awkward conversation she'd just been subjected to. "Do you think we can get some of that delicious looking spaghetti? It smells absolutely amazing." He smiled again. _Damn, this guy can really turn on the charm,_ Kate thought.

"Oh, Mr. Castle, that's so nice of you! And of course I can fix you some plates." She smiled and went about putting together their dinner of spaghetti with meat sauce, Cesar salad and garlic bread. "Now, there's juice and milk and water over there in the fridge," she pointed, "and in a few minutes when the kids have cleared their tables, I'll be serving dessert. Homemade oatmeal cookies," she winked at him.

"Well, this just looks fantastic. Thank you so much. And it was really lovely to meet you." Madge blushed as they took their plates and walked back to the table. Rick put his plate down and pulled the chair out next to him for Kate to sit.

"Can I get you something to drink Officer Beckett?" He was clearly trying to make sure everyone thought that there was nothing going on between them, though maybe it was just for Anita's benefit. She had been staring at them since they'd arrived and Kate was starting to feel the weight of her attention.

"Um, sure, just some water, thanks." Kate replied.

Rick fetched two glasses from the table and filled them from the jug in the fridge. He returned and sat, placing their drinks down in front of them. Kate stopped and looked up at Rick, her fork loaded with spaghetti and sauce mere inches from her open, waiting mouth. "What?" she asked him, uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

He cracked a small smile before replying, "Hungry much?"

She looked down to realize that she had finished almost half her plate of food before he'd even got to touch his. She smiled, a light blush rising to her cheeks as the rest of their table mates looked up. "Yeah, I guess I am. I didn't even realize."

"It's all that hiking and fresh air," Don chimed in. "Does it to me every time. I've already had two platefuls." Kate smiled at his defense of her ravenous consumption. Rick just shook his head and chuckled, though it seemed like just moments later, he was heading back to see Madge for a second helping too.

They managed to finish their meals without drawing any more negative attention to themselves. Though Don had managed to get the story out of them about why they had been so late for the meal. Everyone at the table had laughed at their retelling, Anita clearly faking it.

Miss Travers went to dismiss the students so they could get cleaned up and ready for bed before they were all to gather again at the campfire for songs and jokes and stories. Then she, Don and Anita headed out after the kids to make sure they didn't get into any trouble. Kate caught the tail end of a disdainful look from Anita as she walked out the door.

Rick went back up to the counter for a third time and managed to return with a plateful of cookies. Kate looked up at him with a raised eyebrow, "You going to eat all of those yourself?" She asked teasing again.

"No, I thought I might share with you. But if you're going to be like that about it, maybe I will eat them myself." He put on a fake sulk causing her to laugh out loud.

"Well, I wouldn't want you to do anything that might affect that girlish figure of yours. Wouldn't want you to get even softer than you already are." She reached a hand out to grab a cookie, but he was too quick and took the plate away before she could get her hand on one.

"Nope, sorry, you lose. They're all for me now." He put the plate down on the other side of him so that Kate couldn't reach.

Without really thinking about it, Kate leaned over and whispered quietly in his ear with a sultry voice that she didn't even realize she possessed, "Oh Ricky, don't you think you could give me just one cookie. _Please?_" She bit down on her bottom lip softly and looked up at him through batting eyelashes as he swallowed hard, his voice faltering as he tried to respond.

"I um, what are you offering in return?" he asked turning his head just slightly so he could glance at her out of the corner of his eye. He was in serious trouble here, caught off-guard by Kate's closeness. He could feel her breath on his neck, knew her eyes were watching him closely, and was that cherries he smelled?

She thought for a moment about what she could suggest that might make him give up the cookies. Her mind landed on an idea and she replied softly into his ear, her lips so close that she could touch him, "A surprise. After the kids go to bed..."

Rick turned his face to look her straight on now, his eyes searing into hers. He licked his lips in an unsuccessful attempt to bring some moisture back to his mouth, but it was completely dry. Kate had really turned on her own amount of charm but she was having a hard time staying in character. The look on his face was priceless and she found him completely adorable. She just wanted to laugh and crack some joke at his expense, as they had been doing all afternoon. But, she had started this little game, after all, and she felt she couldn't give it up yet. It was way too enjoyable.

"A surprise? Am I...am I going to like it?" his eyes grew wider as he started to consider a variety of things that he would enjoy doing with her after the kids went to bed.

She pressed even closer to him, lips grazing his ear, curling up into a light smile, "You have no idea."

"Um, I, um...okay, here." Rick reached around to grab the plate without breaking their eye contact. "Here," he said again pushing the plate in front of her, "you can have the whole plate."

She reached down and pulled one cookie off the top of the pile, her eyes never wavering from his. She slowly moved the cookie up to her lips, full and red, and as sexily as one can, she bit into the cookie. Just to turn the heat on a little higher for him, she closed her eyes and moaned softly, "Mmm, that's good. Thanks Ricky."

Kate leaned back away from him, stood up slowly and swayed out of the room. He was completely riveted to the spot, jaw hanging slack and breath coming in short shallow gasps. "Oh my god," he said to himself quietly rubbing his hand roughly down his face, "that was amazing."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Well, another one got away from me...but I loved writing it, until I thought that I had lost it all after three hours of work...but then autocorrect saved me (and my doc) so now I'm happy again! This is a pretty fun chapter, more Caskett and Rick/Alexis time to come soon...oh and don't worry, I haven't forgotten about the case they're working on back at the precinct...more of it's coming too!**

**Thanks for the reviews and comments. It really means so much to me and I thank everyone of you. Your support is making this even more fun!**

**Disclaimer: I heart Castle every minute of every day. I don't own it, I think maybe it owns me.**

* * *

A short while later, everyone had gathered around a large fire pit in the middle of the big open field near the tents. The kids were clumped together in groups sharing blankets to cut the light chill of the spring night. The adults had dispersed themselves through the group to keep them under some semblance of control. The campfire started with a few camp songs led by Miss Travers, then Kate got up to do a short presentation about fire safety so all the kids knew to be careful. Next, the kids presented some skits that they had been preparing back at school. Some were funny, some were terribly silly and some were just terrible. But they were kids, and they were having a good time, so Kate was happy with it all.

Rick sat about five hands on the clock away from her around the campfire circle. Not close enough to talk, but the perfect distance to gaze without anyone really noticing. Thankfully, Anita had taken a seat as far away from both of them as was possible and was obscured from sight by the fire.

Castle had watched Kate as she sat nestled between two boys who seemed thrilled to get to hang out with a cop, asking an endless list of questions. She managed each of them deftly, even when they had asked her if she'd ever shot anyone or been shot at, and what was the scariest thing she'd done and who was the meanest person she had caught. She talked around them managing to not share too much detail, knowing most of what she did wasn't suitable for young ears.

He continued to watch her, still thinking about the surprise she had offered earlier. It still made his mouth dry up when he thought of it and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and tingled, but he just couldn't get it out of his head. She'd caught him a few times through the evening watching her, sometimes through the corner of his eye, and sometimes staring straight on. She wasn't used to the scrutiny, though she knew it was appreciative not hostile, but she still found it on the annoying side. Despite that, she often found the corners of her mouth curling up, totally out of her control, as she caught him looking. She glanced away a few times as the color rose to her cheeks, and she was thankful that the firelight would cover any blush. She was sure she must be almost glowing red, for as annoying as he was being, she was also finding him more and more endearing.

Several of the kids got up and told some jokes, everyone laughing at the terrible punch lines and the sometimes worse delivery. Miss Travers pulled out some marshmallows and let the kids use sticks they had gathered for the purpose while on their hike, to toast them up in the flames. They sang a few more songs and heard a few more jokes. Then Don had led them in a group activity called a Rain Circle in which they used their hands to mimic a rainstorm. They started quietly rubbing their hands together as he moved around the circle, each person starting the action as he moved in front of them. They increased the volume steadily by lightly patting their thighs, then snapping, then on to finally clapping loudly. Kate felt like she could almost hear a real storm even though they were just clapping their hands. Don continued around the circle, then reversing through the actions so that the loud storm became a light patter, to a gentle sprinkle, to silence. It was quite an activity and they were all feeling pretty relaxed by the time it was over.

Just as Kate was starting to think the campfire would be called to a close, she saw Castle stand up from his seat. He'd been enjoying the campfire as much as she was, laughing at the kids' jokes, even the terrible ones, singing the songs heartily and clapping loudly in the Rain Circle. She wondered what he was up to, but didn't have to wait long to find out.

He cleared his throat to get the kids' attention. "Hi everyone," he said a bit awkwardly as the kids quieted down.

"Hi Mr. Castle," they all chimed back in unison. It caught him a bit off guard, but he rallied and continued.

"Everyone has done such a great job tonight; it's been a really entertaining campfire. So anyways, I think some of you know that I'm a writer, so I like to tell stories. And I thought maybe I could tell you guys a story before we wrap things up. But I warn you," he said taking on a very creepy demeanor "it's a ghost story."

The kids shuffled around in their seats clearly getting comfy to listen to the spooky tale. A few of the girls near Alexis had wide grins on their faces and looked upon Castle with anticipation. Kate figured they'd seen him in action before and their reactions were telling her that whatever he was up to, it was going to be good.

"When I was in school, just about your age, my class went on a trip to this very camp."

"Mr. Castle is this camp really _that_ old?" asked Tommy in wonder.

Castle glared at Tommy, though the shadows cast by the flames prevented everyone from seeing his true reaction. Kate giggled, watching from across the circle as Castle try to regain his composure.  
"This camp is not _that_ old, Tommy. I am not _that_ old."

"Tommy, that's not a very nice thing to say," chastised Anita.

"Oh. Sorry Mr. Castle." Tommy looked down to hide his embarrassment.

"That's okay Tommy. Shall I continue?" Castle could see the kids nodding their heads up and down and it spurred him on. He just _loved_ telling ghost stories. "Okay, where was I? Oh yes. When I was a kid, my class came to this camp. We stayed in the tents just like you and we ate in the meal hall just like you."

"Mr. Castle, was Madge here when you were?" Tommy cut in again.

Castle looked at him with slight disbelief. _I can appreciate the curiosity, but kid you're killing me here,_ he thought_._ "Um no, Tommy, I don't think Madge was here. So. As I was saying, again," there were a few snickers from some of the kids as Rick tried for a third time to start his story. "So, one night, we had all tucked ourselves into our sleeping bags and were just falling to sleep when my friends and I heard a noise coming from outside of our tent. It sounded like something was scraping on the canvass, like a tree branch or something." Castle used a stick he had toasted a marshmallow on earlier to scrape along the big rocks surrounding the fire, making a very creepy noise.

"We figured it was just some of the other boys trying to scare us so we decided to scare them back by jumping out of our tent and yelling really loud at them. So, we climbed out of our sleeping bags and stood by the opening to the tent and peered out to see if we could see where the boys were," Castle mimicked peering out a tent flap, and he lowered his voice and slowed his speech as he added, "but we couldn't see anything. It was pitch black, the scattered clouds were covering the moon and none of the outdoor lights were on around the buildings. It was total darkness. Well, I don't have to tell you that we were a little nervous, we really just wanted to go to sleep but we knew those other boys wouldn't stop until we scared them back. So, we gathered up our nerve and on the count of three...one...two...THREE! We jumped out of the tent and ran around the side to scare those boys." Some of the kids had jumped when Castle yelled three, in fact Castle jumped too as he animatedly acted out the scene.

Kate watched in fascination as he drew them in using not just his quieted voice, but also his movements to set a very realistic scene. She figured he was just making it all up but she had to admit that she was getting drawn into the story too.

"Well, we ran all the way around that tent and there was no one there. We looked around and tried to see where the boys were hiding, but in the dark, with no moon to guide us, we couldn't find them. And at this point we were pretty scared, so we ran back into our tent and got back into our sleeping bags. But we couldn't sleep. We just lay there, eyes wide, listening."

Castle paused dramatically, looking around the campfire making eye contact with each one of the kids before continuing. "And then all of a sudden, we heard it again." Again he scraped the stick along the rock. Kate could see some of the kids shiver and several of the girls grasped on to each other in fright. Kate was surprised to see Alexis and Paige clinging to each other, eyes wide. Alexis was smiling but she looked as caught up in the suspense as everyone else. Kate figured Alexis must have heard her father tell thousands of ghost stories through the years and couldn't believe how wrapped up in this one she seemed to be. He really was a good storyteller though.

"We all sat straight up in our beds looking at each other nervously. We didn't say a word but we all knew what each other was thinking. We weren't embarrassed to admit that we were scared and we could see it on each other's faces." Castle paused again to let it sink in. "And then we heard it again," voice low as he scraped the rock, "and by this time we were just about shi...um, I mean, we were just shocked at what was happening." Kate let out a little snicker at his almost inappropriate language. He glanced in her direction, a slight shrug of his shoulders as if he was saying 'oops'.

"So, after a few minutes of hearing the scraping and then nothing, then scraping, then nothing, all of a sudden the wind picked up. The sides of our tent started to shake with the force and we could hear the tree branches rustling against each other." Just in that moment, a noise came from the woods off in the distance, like all of a sudden a few of the trees started sway and their branches rubbed loudly together. The kids all turned with a start to look in the direction the noise was coming from. But in the blackness outside their fire light, nothing could be seen. And then, the noise subsided almost as quickly as it began.

"Well, that was strange," Castle said in wonder and all the kids turned to look back to him. "So, anyways," he said getting back into the tale, "the wind was blowing and we were in our tents getting really scared now. And all of a sudden, we could hear a low moan coming from outside our tent. It started really quiet but as the wind picked up the volume did too, before we knew it the wind and voice were howling together. And then, we realized that the voice was saying something."

Kate didn't think it was possible but the kids' eyes actually opened wider than they were. They were all leaning forward as if getting closer to Castle would make him tell the story faster. "Well, it took a minute before we could finally understand what the voice was saying. Do you know what it was saying?" Castle looked around drawing the kids in even further.

A few of them actually whispered softly, "No." And several of them were shaking their heads.

"It was saying..." Castle resumed but was cut off by another sound from the woods, low and moaning,

"Go...Goooo...Gooooooooo..."

"Oh, my god," Castle hushed the jittery students, "That's what it said, that's the voice!"

"Gooooo..." the voice kept saying, and then it started getting louder, and louder. All the kids were looking around wildly trying to figure out if they should cling tighter to each other or to run for the hills. Kate could feel a knot growing in her stomach as she tried to figure out logically what was happening. But for the life of her she couldn't figure it out and it was making her uneasy.

"Goooooo...Gooooooooo..." The voice continued getting louder and louder like it was coming out of the trees and rushing towards them.

Little girls screaming softly and panicking boys all looked up to Castle, hoping he would tell them what to do, that he would protect them, but Castle was rooted to the ground. He just kept saying over and over, "The voice, that's the voice."

"Gooooooo...GOOOOOOOOOOO..." All of a sudden Don crashed out from the darkness outside the firelight running towards them yelling, "GOOOOOO...GOOOOOOO..." All the kids screamed at the sight of the figure rushing towards them. Finally he stopped right in front of them and said spookily "Go to bed!"

The kids erupted in nervous screams and laughter, and joked that they knew what was happening all along. They had been so drawn in to the story, that no one, not even Kate, had noticed when Don had quietly slipped away from the campfire to play his part in the tale. Castle looked around at the kids proudly reveling in the success of his ghost story. He and Don high-fived and congratulated each other.

"Don, you were awesome! You were just perfect."

"Thanks Rick, you weren't so bad yourself. Couldn't believe how drawn in those kids were. They're never going to sleep tonight!"

Kate joined the two men to add her appreciation for their story. "Wow, guys that was great."

Castle turned and looked at her, a wide grin full of laughter, "Oh, my god, you should have seen the look on your face."

"My face?" she looked back at him startled. "What do you mean?"

"Oh, Beckett, you were so caught up, you were right in there with all the kids. I could totally see you trying to figure out what was going on. I thought you might reach for your gun at one point." Castle was now laughing so hard that tears were brimming over his eye lids. "Man, that was so fun, but you were the best part."

"What are you talking about? I wasn't caught up in it, I knew it was all a fake," Kate tried to cover, but thinking back she realized that she had moved her hand to her waist instinctively at one point, only to realize that she didn't have her gun on her belt. She laughed a bit at the memory.

"Oh, yeah, sure you did. Oh, wow, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen. Officer Beckett, scared by a little ghost story," Castle was shaking his head and wiping away his tears.

Kate moved in closer so Don couldn't hear her response. She stepped up on her toes so she could reach Castle's ear and quietly said, "Keep laughing Story Boy, but just for that, you've lost your surprise." She moved back to watch the look on his face fall a bit. She could see he was torn between laughing at her and being bummed by her comment, but in the end the laughter won out.

"Beckett, I don't think I will ever forget that look on your face. That was surprise enough," and he resumed laughing heartily.

She was surprised he wasn't letting up about her reaction to the story, but she had to admit, she hadn't actually figured out what his surprise was going to be so she was glad she wasn't going to have to come up with something now.

"Okay, everyone," Miss Travers was trying to get the kids settled down. "Let's all thank Mr. Castle for that excellent scary story." The kids all clapped and cheered as Castle took a big actor's bow and then pointed over to Don for his part in the play.

"You were a great audience. Priceless," Castle thanked them, but he stared directly at Kate as he said it, huge smile on his face.

"Yes, well, hopefully everyone will be able to get to sleep after that." A few whines arose from the crowd. "But first, there's hot chocolate and treats in the meal hall. So head over there and we'll have a snack before bedtime."

Don and Rick stayed to tend to the fire, while the women went with the students to keep their eyes on them.

As they walked Miss Travers addressed the other two, "So, one of the not so nice parts of being a chaperone is that we all have to take turns on night patrol. It's just until the kids fall asleep, and then you can go off to bed yourselves. Anita I was wondering if you might take the shift tonight and Officer Beckett, can you go tomorrow night?" Kate nodded agreeably but Anita looked hesitant.

"Um, you want me to walk around the camp? At night? By myself?" She clearly looked worried. It made Kate laugh in her head as she realized that Anita had probably gotten pretty spooked by Castle's story.

"Oh, no, sorry, you'll be paired up with one of the men. They'll each take a turn as well."

Anita looked up and a smiled arose on her face. As Kate looked at her, she realized the smile had a touch of conniving to it that worried her. "Oh, well, in that case, perhaps Mr. Castle would join me this evening. After that ghost story, I'm sure we'll need to calm the kids down and I'm just sure that they won't believe anyone's assurances that there are no ghosts, except for his." She looked over at Kate a self-assured victorious smile on her face, like she had just beat Kate in some private battle.

Kate smiled back sweetly trying to cover her annoyance at the woman. It wasn't that she had even thought about this being an opportunity to get some more alone time with Castle, and frankly she knew that it didn't matter what Anita did to try to entice him, he wasn't going to be interested in her, but she really didn't like Anita feeling like she had some kind of power over her, or him.

Oblivious to their unspoken rivalry, Miss Travers agreed that it might not be a bad idea. As they walked into the meal hall, Kate found herself thinking of how she could outdo Anita. She sat in the same seat she'd been in when she promised to give Castle a surprise and rolled the idea over in her head. Slowly a plan began to form and a hint of a smile tugged on her lips. Maybe she'd surprise him after all.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I know I left you with a cliffhanger last chapter and I'm sorry to report that you'll have to wait till the next one to find out Kate's plan :) *insert evil laugh here* Sorry, but these scenes have been dying to get out, so they had to come first. Hope you enjoy. I'll try extra hard to make the next chapter worth the wait!**

**Disclaimer: As always, I give full credit for my inspiration to the supremely talented writers, cast and crew at Castle and I hope that I capture the spirit of this fantastically addictive show.**

**Tomorrow is not only Monday, but the first Monday of February, which means: Castle and sweeps! Bring on the heat Marlowe! I dare you :)**

* * *

Rick and Anita had spent the last forty-five minutes trying to corral the students from the meal hall to their tents for bed. There had been an inordinate number of last minute bathroom visits and more than a few questions and concerns about Rick's ghost story. The kids had all enjoyed the tale at the campfire, but now, in the dark of night, as they went hesitantly into their tents, their fears were given power. Rick definitely had his hands full trying to convince the youngsters that it was just a made up story, that he had never even been to this camp before today.

Eventually everyone settled into their sleeping bags. Rick and Anita plopped down into chairs next to the now much smaller fire. The flames flickered haphazardly searching for the air and fuel they needed to survive, but it was slowly losing that battle. Rick had not been pleased about being paired up with Anita for so many reasons, not the least of which were that she was completely annoying, and that he would much rather get to spend some more time with Beckett, but he also completely understood the need to help get the kids to sleep after his spooky story. At least, he hoped, maybe this time with Anita tonight would mean that he could spend more time with Beckett tomorrow when their activities were all about trust building and teamwork. He was looking forward to seeing if they might have something to build on that was more than just the initial attraction he was feeling for her. He could already tell that Kate Beckett was very different from the typical socialite that he had dated and he was intrigued by more than just her undeniable physical beauty. There was something very special about her, and for the first time in a long time, he wanted to find out what it was.

Lately he had run through a series of brief relationships based on nothing more than physical attraction and he was getting tired of it. He thought maybe Alexis might be suffering as well, both from his absence many evenings, and from his evident discontent. It wasn't that he was unhappy, just that he felt he was ready for more in life but had set himself along a path that wasn't helping him to find it. He was starting to think that maybe he hadn't been hiding it so well from Alexis lately, given that she seemed to have taken on an even more mothering approach to him than usual.

"Wow," Rick exhaled loudly, "I didn't think they'd ever settle in." They had both agreed to wait by the fire for a while to make sure that all the kids really were settled in for sleep. Rick expected that as soon as he and Anita went off to their rooms, the lights would come on and the chatter would begin. They hoped that if they waited long enough, the kids would all fall asleep before that could happen.

Anita looked up from her seat next to his, "Well, it must be your excellent storytelling skills." Anita's words dripped with praise and desire.

"Um, thanks," Rick replied hesitantly. He couldn't understand why she was still clearly pursuing him. Well, to be honest, he knew why. He was rich, handsome – ruggedly handsome if the Ledger society reporters were to be believed – charming. But really, he didn't think that he had done anything to encourage her pursuit. If anything, her surprise interruption of his earlier encounter in the hallway with Beckett should have done the exact opposite. And yet, here she was, turning on her charms, or at least he assumed that was what she was trying to do. But she was about as charming as a tick buzzing around your ear, and equally as annoying.

"Ricky I just love the way you can get everyone's attention and hold it no matter what else is going on around you. You must just love having people's eyes on you," she leaned towards him in her chair, appraising.

"Well, Anita, if truth be told, I actually really value my privacy. My success requires me to be in the limelight but I really don't enjoy when people try to pry into my life." He was looking very pointedly at her, both as a comment on her repeated advances on him, and as a reprimand of her earlier conversation with Kate.

True to her nature though, Anita really didn't listen to his meaning, she just picked out the words that had caught her attention. "Yes, you have been rather successful, haven't you?" She smiled at him, as if addressing it would somehow magically afford her some of his fame. _God, she's so transparent,_ thought Rick. "I've seen your picture in the Ledger quite a bit lately. Your girlfriend must not mind all those photographers. She seems to have really charmed them all." Anita's sneer-smile had returned.

"My girlfriend? I don't have...oh wait, you mean Gina?" He looked a bit confused. Castle acknowledged that he really had been in the Ledger quite a bit lately, but it was with a different girl every time. He wondered if she was referring to the most recent picture.

"Oh Ricky, I really didn't pay enough attention to know her name. She's blond and, well a bit skinny if you ask me, big cheekbones."

_This was Anita _not_ paying attention? Yeah right._

"If you mean the lovely, fun woman who accompanied me to the New York Public Library charity ball last week, then that would be Gina. She's really quite a wonderful woman, a rock in my life, and we have such a fantastic time together." Rick watched as Anita's face fell and languished somewhere between disappointment and embarrassment. But, as much as she probably deserved it, he just couldn't leave her hanging there. He added casually, "But she's not my girlfriend, she's my editor."

"Editor?" Anita's face instantly perked up and she slid her chair closer to his so she could rest her hand lightly on his forearm. He instantly regretted his moment of mercy in sharing that information.

"Yes. She's my editor at Black Pawn. We sometimes go to events together when I don't have someone else to go with because she's fun and she knows how to handle the press."

"Well, that's nice," Anita was practically drooling. "So you're single you say? Looking for someone to attend events with you...well, isn't that very interesting."

_Ugh. Shit._ Rick hated this part. The part of the encounters he had with women he just wasn't interested in. He hated trying to figure out what the best thing to say was to let them down gently. There was just no easy way. In many cases he could just thank them for their support of his work and then walk away. But every once in a while, that opportunity just wasn't an option. And, as annoying as she was, and as petty as she had been with Kate today, he just couldn't bring himself to be rude about it. This time called for extra care, especially since they still had several days left on this trip and they were all going to have to get along for the sake of the students.

Rick gently slid his arm out from Anita's grasp and he looked at her as kindly as he could. "Um, Anita? I think, well, um, I think maybe we have gotten our signals crossed here." She looked up at him with a foreboding sense of dread, like she'd seen that look from other men, heard those same words, and she knew what was coming. "Look, um, you seem like a really, uh, nice person, you do, but I think we should just be friends. You know, I'm here for Alexis and the other kids, to help them have a good time, and well, I just don't think anything else would be appropriate, you know?"

She stared at him crestfallen, a touch of embarrassment on her face, "Oh, the kids, right. Of course." She looked away from him towards the fire and Rick watched her silently, feeling sorry for her but at the same time not wanting to pursue the conversation further.

"Dad?" a small voice called from the darkness and both Rick and Anita jumped.

"Alexis? Is that you?" Rick squinted at the approaching form, now more visible by the firelight. "Alexis, what are you doing out of bed? Are you okay?"

She walked hesitantly to stand beside his chair just out of arm's reach looking back and forth between her father and Anita. She didn't reply, suspecting that maybe she had walked in on something important.

Anita, finally putting someone else's needs before her own, stood and offered, "I think I'll go do one more bed check and then head off to bed myself. Good night Rick." He immediately picked up on her use of his name 'Rick', not 'Ricky' as she had taken to calling him, and realized that in fact, Alexis might just have afforded her the opportunity to leave and escape any more embarrassment. Maybe she wasn't putting someone else's needs first after all, but he appreciated her departure nonetheless. "Okay Anita, good night."

Rick's eyes trailed after Anita as she walked towards the tents until he was staring face to face with Alexis. "Hi pumpkin, what's up?" He tried to sound casual but he was pretty sure he knew what was coming. He and Alexis had not yet had the chance to talk about his late arrival at dinner with Kate.

"Dad, what's going on?"

"Do you want to be more specific?" Rick didn't want to bring up anything she wasn't asking about and he had learned that it was best to just let her get her thoughts out first before really responding.

"Well, you were late for dinner, you were with Officer Beckett, and now you're here with Ms. Penn, and it sounded pretty serious, and, well, what's going on?"

"How much did you hear?"

"Not much, enough to know that something just happened."

"Alexis, please trust me when I tell you that nothing is going on with Ms. Penn. She just, well, she just thought that maybe," he paused not wanting to say the words, not wanting to say anything that might embarrass Anita later. Then he looked Alexis in the eye with all seriousness, "But I explained to her that I'm not interested."

"Okay, well that's good, but what about dinner?"

Rick smiled at the memory, "Alexis I can totally explain that, nothing was happening. I was just late for dinner and I ran out of my room, and I guess Ka-...Officer Beckett was running late too, and she ran out of her room at the exact same time that I ran out of my room and we literally ran into each other. And, well I kind of knocked her down. So I was just making sure she was okay, and then we were late."

Alexis looked at him with shock, "Dad! You knocked her down? Why did you do that? Why would you push a girl? Just to get to dinner faster? You always told me that it's not nice to hit or push people but you can just go and knock someone over? Dad, what were you thinking? Doesn't she have a gun?"

Rick laughed out loud at her misinterpretation of his explanation. "No, Alexis, I didn't _push_ her down. I would never do that to someone. Do you honestly think I would do that to someone? Especially a girl? Especially a girl with a _gun_?"

Her face settled from its shocked expression slightly as she mulled over his response, then settled into confusion. "Well, no, I guess not. I don't think you're that immature. But then what happened?"

"We ran out of our rooms at the same time," he held up his two hands palms facing each other moving closer as if to show Alexis what happened. "Neither one of us was looking where we were going," his hands got closer. "And then she literally ran into me and fell over," he clapped his hands together hard and then his left hand backed away and bent at the wrist to mimic Kate's fall.

Understanding swept across Alexis' face, coupled with a mild disbelief, "She really just fell over? Just from walking into you? Really?"

"What? I'm a big guy, solid you might say. I work out...sometimes," he looked defensively at Alexis as she looked back at him with raised eyebrows and now a full blown expression of incredulity. "Okay, never, I never work out _per se_, but I'm strong and I'm tall and what? It makes sense," he was trying very hard to defend his physique, afraid Alexis might not be seeing him as the superhero that she used to.

"Hmm, I always thought you were kind of soft," she replied honestly, but seriously.

_No hint of a joke. Why is there no hint of a joke? She thinks I'm soft? _"What?" he replied, stunned.

"Well, when we snuggle on the couch, I always feel so cozy. I just always thought you were...cuddly." She made him sound like a giant pillow but she was so innocent about it, that he didn't mind. It was like it was the best thing in the world for her to have a dad that was soft and cuddly, and she'd never looked at him any other way because that was what they did, they cuddled. In fact, their closeness was something that he had always loved about their relationship, so really, he couldn't fault her now for her description of him. Actually, he realized that he was kind of proud of it.

"Oh, _cuddly,_ I get it." He replied, making the connection, and recognizing the distinct difference from how Kate had meant it. "Well, you're right, I am I guess. But, well, that's why we were late. I didn't want to rush Officer Beckett after that in case she was really hurt. She kind of hit the wall before she fell so I was a bit worried."

"Dad!" the look of astonishment had returned to Alexis' face.

"Don't worry, she was fine. She _is_ a cop after all, she's pretty tough."

"You're sure she's okay? You have to be more careful, she probably could have arrested you or something for assault."

"Alexis, don't be silly, she wouldn't do that," he paused for a moment wondering. _Would she?_ "No, she wouldn't do that, she was fine and it was just an accident. I promise I'll be more careful."

Alexis moved from where she'd been standing to finally sit down in the chair next to him. She leaned back and stared into the fire, silently thinking. He sat silently with her, waiting until she was ready to say what was really bothering her.

"Ok. Well, I'm glad she's okay, but it's not even really her Dad, or Ms. Penn. It's this whole last few months." _Ahh, here it comes, the real talk._ "You finished the last draft of your book a few months ago and since then things have been different. You've been going to parties and clubs and dinners out. And then in the Ledger, all those pictures of you are with different girls every time."

Rick cut in, "Honey, I thought I told you not to read the Ledger. You know they make things look worse than they are."

"I know Dad, but I was worried about you and you weren't home very much to ask. And I didn't want to ask Gram about it cause then she'd get mad at me too for reading the papers because she knows I'm not supposed to." Alexis wouldn't look at him, she just stared into the fire, like it would help give her the courage to get out all the things she was feeling.

Rick sat patiently. He knew there was more, so he just waited until she was able to form the thoughts into words. He waited longer than he thought he would have to. This must be big.

"Dad, I'm really worried about you. You're not acting like yourself. You haven't been sleeping and you haven't been writing."

He looked up at her, surprised that she had noticed that much detail about his life. He suspected that he wasn't doing a great job covering but he didn't realize just how perceptive she had been. "How did you...?"

"Dad, I live there too. And I know you pretty well by now. Nine years is an awfully long time to get to know someone, so I know you. Plus when you make me breakfast in the morning you can hardly keep your eyes open and you can't stop yawning. And sometimes I wake up in the night and I can hear the video games on downstairs. You know you can get addicted to those things right?"

Rick chuckled and smiled lovingly down at his little girl. But it was his turn to be worried. She shouldn't have to think about things like this. These were grown up worries and she was still just a kid, no matter how mature she came across. He definitely needed to find a way to fix this. Clearly he needed to make some changes. The problem was that she was right, he was different. He had lost something after the last book, an edge, or a drive, he wasn't sure what it was, and he was struggling to come up with an idea for his next book but he wasn't having any success. This was the longest dry spell he had had and it was worrying him too, it was keeping him up at night.

"And the writing?" she continued on. "Well, I don't know how I know that, I just do. You act different when you're writing. You get excited about things and you spend hours on end in your office clicking on your keyboard, and, you don't stick your head in the freezer."

He looked at her confused for a minute until he remembered that day she had come home to find him trying to wake himself up, wake his creativity up, by sticking his head in the freezer. It hadn't worked.

"So, I'm worried about you but I'm just a kid, and I know that this is your problem to deal with but I don't want you to be not you anymore." Rick chose to ignore her terrible use of a double negative. Clearly it was not the time for that, though he did file it away as a lesson for the future.

"Is that it?" he asked her simply.

"Isn't that enough?" She asked with a bit of shock.

"No, I mean is there anything else that's floating around in that pretty little head of yours that you want to talk about. We might as well get it out now or neither one of us will be sleeping tonight." He looked at her earnestly and waited while she considered his words.

Finally she looked back at him, "No, that's it."

"Well, it is a lot isn't it?" he smiled down at her and the corners of her mouth crept up a bit, but the smile never quite reached her eyes. He reached over and took gentle hold of her arm and pulled her over to him to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and gently squeezed in reassurance and in apology. "Alexis, I really wish you wouldn't worry about me so much. I'm the parent here and it's my job to worry about you, not the other way around."

Alexis looked up at him, her clear blue eyes piercing his heart, "But Dad, I love you and when you love someone you worry about them. That's just how it works. Right?"

"Yes pumpkin, you're right," he replied resignedly. _Just how and when did she get so smart?_ "I just want you to be a kid and think about kid things and have fun. I guess I just don't want you to grow up so fast." Alexis just looked at him. Now it was her turn to be patient.

Rick leaned back in the chair pulling Alexis with him. She snuggled into his chest and curled up small, her feet resting on his leg, her arms and hands nestled in between her legs and her chest, her fingers holding lightly onto his shirt. He maintained his hold on her, strong and protective, but gentle and loving. He wanted to just take all her worries away, but he knew that the only thing that would work was the truth.

"Alexis, you're right about all of it. About the parties, and the not sleeping and the not writing, about all of it. I have been struggling to find a new story to write. The ideas aren't coming to me the way they usually do and I'm not used to feeling this way. And I guess my brain is thinking about it so much that I can't sleep. Sorry for waking you up at night. I'll remember to keep the noise down." He paused as he considered what he could say that would make her feel better about it all. "I'm very sorry that I've been going out so much lately. I guess my behavior is kind of all wrapped up in this one thing. When I figure it out, I'm sure I'll go back to being your old dad, and when I say old, I mean the dad you had before, not old as in _old_." He smiled down at her and she looked up at him with a serious expression. But as always, his smile was contagious and she couldn't help but giggle at his joke.

"Dad," she said, the serious look returning to her face. "Do you think that maybe your behavior is making it worse not better? I mean do you think maybe it's part of the problem?"

He returned her thoughtful look as he pondered her questions. "Um, well, I guess I never really thought about it, but yeah, maybe. I think maybe I've been looking in the wrong places, but it's been easier to go out and party so I don't actually have to think about it."

"But Dad? Has it really been easier?" Her sheer innocence was gripping his heart and squeezing.

"No, Alexis, I guess it hasn't."

They sat together in silence, entranced by the dance of the flames as they reached up to grasp the night air. Rick could feel moisture building up around his eyes, he looked up to the stars to force the tears back in. He was truly in awe of his beautiful child who was so wise beyond her years. He didn't know what he believed about God or faith or a higher power, but he knew that he was completely blessed to have Alexis in his life. She was truly a gift to him and his heart literally overflowed with love for her.

He gathered his composure as best he could, "Alexis, I'm so sorry. I'm going to make it better. I promise."

She just looked up at him and smiled, "I love you Daddy."

"I love you too sweetheart, so very much."

They sat for a few more minutes, both lost in thought and the beauty of the flames. Rick vowed to make a change, to make things better for Alexis. She deserved happiness and it was his job to try to give it to her. But he knew also that he deserved happiness, and that he wasn't getting it from the choices he had been making. He needed to make a change for him as much as for Alexis.

A soft snoring brought him out of his thoughts and he looked down to find Alexis had fallen asleep on his lap. He kissed the top of her head and squeezed a little tighter, "Alexis, wake up kiddo. It's time to go to bed."

She looked up at him sleepily and smiled, "See, I told you, you're cuddly."

They both stood up and he took her hand in his to walk her to her tent. When they arrived, she turned to him wordlessly and hugged him, her arms around his waist and her face firmly planted just below his ribs. She squeezed tight, relieved that they had cleared the air. Rick hugged her back and kissed the top of her head again. "Good night pumpkin. Sweet dreams."

She turned and walked into her tent. Rick waited for a few minutes until he heard the rustling sounds stop and silence fill the space. When he returned to the fire, it was down to the embers. He used a stick to spread out the remaining coals to allow them to cool down faster, then he placed the metal wire cover over the top of the fire pit to keep anything from escaping or from falling in.

As he walked back to his room an image of Kate flitted into his mind, unintentional but not unwelcome. Castle smiled as he considered her and how she had made such a big impression on him in such a short time. He wondered what she had been doing while he was taking care of all the kids. He expected that by now she was probably sound asleep. It wasn't that late really, just before midnight, but it had been a long day and sleep was not an unwelcome thought.

Castle walked down the long hall towards his door and paused just before he opened it. He looked across the hall at Kate's door and held his breath to try to hear if she might still be awake. But there was only silence. He opened his door and walked into his dark room a little disappointed that she wasn't still planning to surprise him. As he stepped lightly towards his bed, he heard a noise that sounded out of place. Rick reached over to flip the light on and then bent down to the floor to pick up a piece of paper that he had just stepped on. He unfolded it gently, confused because it hadn't been there when he left.

_Stargazing. Midnight. Meal hall._

A very large smile opened on his face as he suddenly had no desire to sleep.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: This chapter totally got away from me so I decided to break it into two. Hope you like it. The first one is really more of a set up for the next and later chapters but there's a little humour and some Rick-Kate relationship development stuff. In the end I thought it should stand as its own chapter.**

**Disclaimer: As always my respect goes out to the writers, cast and crew of Castle. This wouldn't exist without them.**

* * *

As Castle approached the meal hall something didn't sit right with him. The lights were off inside, as they should be that late at night, but the outside lights were off as well. He looked above the door and saw that in fact there was supposed to be a light on there, but either someone had turned it off or the bulb had blown. It was eerily quiet too. Castle looked around beyond the building but couldn't see anything in the darkness. He glanced down at his watch which was sitting at eleven fifty-five. He was a few minutes early, so maybe Beckett hadn't left her room yet.

"Beckett?" he whispered loudly. He knew what the protocol was on kids being out of bed at night, but he wasn't sure what the rules were for the adults. It wouldn't be that bad if one of the students caught him outside in the middle of the night, he could easily come up with some excuse they would easily believe like he was making sure everything was locked up for the night, but he really didn't want any of the other chaperones to see him, especially Anita. He wasn't sure that he could think of a plausible reason that wouldn't cause some embarrassment. "Beckett?" he called again when she didn't respond, but all he could hear was silence.

A thought suddenly struck him. W_hat if the note wasn't from Beckett?_ He had made the assumption that she had left it there for him, but what if she hadn't Who else would leave him a note like that? He mentally checked off each of the other chaperones.

_Miss Travers?_ He was pretty sure he'd seen an engagement ring on her finger, and while that didn't put it totally out of the realm of possibility, she just didn't seem the type. Plus he'd gotten no indication of any interest from her. He usually noticed those things so he checked her off the list.

_Don? Uh...nah... couldn't be Don._ He was a happily married guy. He told Castle all about his family on the bus ride up that morning and he sounded so happy and proud talking about his wife, who was a teacher at a local public school and his twin girls who were going off to college next year. _Cross him off too._

_Anita? Please, no, not Anita. She couldn't be that thick could she?_ He reviewed the conversation from earlier that evening and decided that even _she_ had understood his meaning, even if she didn't like it. _Okay, cross her off too._

Who else was left? Suddenly Castle gulped at the only other person he hadn't considered: _Madge. No...it couldn't be...it...seriously? No way. _Castle looked down at the note that was still clutched in his hand. It did say to meet at the meal hall...he looked frantically from side to side, spun around to look everywhere, just praying it wasn't Madge.

As he turned, he saw a figure approaching towards him from the residence building. A flashlight shone on the ground ahead of the person, casting them into shadow thus masking his view.

_Please let it be Beckett. Please let it be Beckett..._

"Hello?" Castle called out tentatively.

"Hey," Beckett responded from behind the flashlight.

Castle breathed out a heavy sigh of relief, "Oh thank God," he whispered under his breath.

"What?" she asked as she arrived beside him.

"Um, oh nothing, I just, well I wasn't sure if you were actually coming."

"Why would I leave you a note and not show up?" She rolled her eyes at him even though it was dark enough that he couldn't tell.

"Well, actually, you didn't sign it, so I kind of got worried that maybe it wasn't from you." He looked at her sheepishly, now feeling a little foolish.

"Oh, so you weren't sure if _I_ was coming. Who did you think it was from?"

"Um, no one, really. I mean, I wasn't sure." He did not want to admit that he thought maybe it was from the sixty year old cook.

"And you showed up anyways?" she smiled lightly at him, teasing. "Brave."

He laughed, "Well, when I left I thought the note was from you but when you weren't here I got thinking maybe someone else left it. But I'm glad it was you." He really wanted to change the topic of conversation before it got any more awkward for him.

She smiled back at him, a light rosy glow rising to her cheeks.

"So, your note said something about stargazing?"

"Yeah, I just thought, you know, you can't really see the stars in the city because of all the lights. And well, I wanted to see them tonight in case maybe it gets cloudy and we don't get another chance."

"So you thought of stars and you thought of me? Why Officer Beckett, I'm flattered." He turned on one of his famous Castle smiles, all charm.

"Truthfully, I was worried there might be bears so I thought maybe it would be better not to be alone." She replied quickly, joking that he was along just for the practicality of it, nothing more.

"Oh, and you thought maybe I could _protect_ you from the bears? Again, flattered."

"Actually, I was thinking a big _solid_ guy like you probably moves pretty slow, so if we had to run, the bears would get you first." A twinkle in her eyes told him she was joking, but he feigned offense anyways.

"Wow, good to know you think so highly of me. And here I thought we were starting to get along."

She laughed at his response, "Oh, I think we are." She turned away and added, "Come on Castle, let's go." He watched her sling a bag he hadn't noticed before over her shoulder and head off around the building.

He started to follow her but slowed as she entered the edge of the trees behind the meal hall. "Um, Beckett? Where are we going? We're not going to be able to see any stars in the forest." He was confused but added jokingly, "Unless you're not actually planning on looking at the stars. Officer Beckett, are you trying to get me alone in the woods for some other nefarious purpose?"

Without slowing, Kate called over her shoulder, "What's the matter Castle, don't you trust me?"

"Is that a trick question?"

"Castle you better keep up or you'll get lost in the dark. Wouldn't want the spooky ghost from your story to get you now would you?" He could tell she was smiling as she spoke, though her tone was one of impatience.

He looked around the trees suddenly realizing just how spooky it was out here, and he had left his room in such a hurry that he hadn't thought to bring a flashlight. He jogged ahead to catch up.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Beckett paused for a moment taking stock of where they were. Castle had assumed she knew where she was going, but thinking about it now, he realized that she had never been to this camp before either, and so he looked at her with some concern. The last thing they needed was to get lost in the middle of the night in the forest.

He was just about to question where they were going when she seemed to find a new confidence and started walking again. It was like she could sense the way to wherever it was they were going without actually having a map to guide her. _Must be a cop thing,_ he mused.

After a few more minutes they broke out from the trees into a small clearing and both gasped in awe. Castle had noticed the slight incline they had been walking up on their journey but what he saw now before him he never would have expected to see.

The clearing was fairly small, about twenty feet across before the trees started up again. There were several large boulders stacked together in piles like some giant had left his game of marbles here on this spot. Just ahead and to the left of where they stood, the ground just came to an end, the hill rolling quickly down about a hundred feet to the river below. The moon was now bright and full above them allowing them to see out across the valley at least a couple of miles before the hill rose up again on the other side of the river. They could easily make out the trees below, and the winding river sparkled from the reflection of the moon. It was spectacular and they were left breathless.

"Kate," Rick finally broke the silence. "How did you...? I mean...where...? Where are we? How did you know about this place?"

Kate was still silently staring out at the captivating valley in front of them. Her mouth sat slightly opened in awe and her eyes stared unblinking. She was completely mesmerized. He turned and looked at her, and watched as she stood transfixed, barely breathing. Her dark hair hung in waves softly as a shadow, her skin glowing in contrast from the moonlight. _He_ was completely mesmerized.

"Kate?" he reached out and put his hand on her lower back, gently bringing her back to the present moment with the warmth of his touch.

She finally looked slowly up at him, just now registering the feel of his hand where it rested lightly against her shirt. She stared at him a moment, then looked back out across the wide expanse before them. "I...um...Miss Travers told me about it. She said it was a good spot for stargazing, so I thought...but this is..." She looked back at him innocently, completely at a loss for words.

Castle just nodded in agreement with her struggle to find a way to verbalize what they were witnessing. For once in his life, he too was unable to put into words the feelings that were building up in him as he stared out across the valley. "Come on," he finally said, increasing the pressure on her back to guide her forward, "let's sit."

They moved forward together and found a soft grassy area nestled between a couple of gently rounded boulders they could use as backrests. They sat down facing the valley, their arms resting gently together, their breathing falling slowly in sync. Rick leaned back against the rock, firm but smooth behind him. He tilted his head back slightly and gasped, his breath caught in his throat again.

Kate looked over at him with concern, "Castle? What is it?"

But he couldn't answer. He slowly looked upon her face, a warm and gentle smile caressing his lips. His eyes tracked back up to the sky, directing her gaze to join his. "Look up," he finally replied softly.

Kate tilted her head back slightly to see what he was looking at and just as his had, her breath caught in her throat. Above them, high in the heavens, twinkled a million points of light, like diamonds on an inky black velvet cloth at a jewelry store. She didn't think she had ever seen so many stars at one time in her life and it was completely overwhelming. She finally released the breath she had been holding, a quiet moan delicately finding its way to the sky.

Castle looked back at her with a wide smile, "I know right?"


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Still not sure whether it was right to break up this and the previous chapter. I struggled with them in a few places, and as I wrote it actually took me in a direction I hadn't quite intended. Consider this as a warm up for what I hope will be a fluffy and passionate Valentine's episode next Monday! Lord knows Marlowe has starved us of the fluff of late...of course I continue to trust his vision but hope he'll give us just a little something steamy...in full light...**

**Disclaimer: I heart the writers, cast and crew of Castle.**

* * *

The pair sat lost in thought for more than a few minutes. Each contemplating what events had led them there to that moment, and where the future would guide them. Their journeys through life had been so completely different, but there they sat, connected in time and space and in the beauty of the world around them.

Finally Kate was revived back to the present as Castle shuddered slightly from the chill of the night. "You cold?" she asked quietly. "Here." She reached into the suddenly remembered bag at her side and pulled out a thin fleece blanket, which she handed over to him.

Castle took the soft bundle from her appreciatively and opened it up. He covered both of them and inched just a little bit closer to her. When she looked up questioningly at him, he simply replied, "For warmth." Normally, she would not have let someone get so close to her, especially given that they had just met and really barely knew anything about each other, but something in her mind allowed her to relax just enough to not be worried about it in this moment. And if the truth were told, she was starting to feel a bit of a chill as well.

"Do you see that clump of stars up there," he pointed above them high in the sky, turning toward her slightly to help her follow his sign. "The five bright ones all lined up, and the two running perpendicular, in line with the second on the right?"

She looked up to where he was pointing and nodded. "Mm-hmm."

"In Peru, they believe that the members of the ancient Incan royal families would move from this world to the night sky upon their deaths. That group of stars is called _Luchadora_, or the fighter, named after a princess warrior who battled for her father's honor after he had been killed in a clash with a neighboring tribe. She fought bravely with the men of her tribe, the only woman to take up arms in the battle. They say she killed more than twice the number of their enemies as any other warrior but in her last encounter against the prince from the opposing tribe, she finally succumbed to her many injuries, falling to the ground. They say as he stood over her, his sword raised to strike the final blow, he looked down and realized that she was a beautiful and fierce woman, who should be respected and revered by all. He lowered his sword and bent to help her up, but her only thought was of her father, so she used the last ounce of strength that she possessed to raise her own sword, one final time, and pierce the heart of the prince, thus ending the epic battle. As he fell across her body, her father's death finally vanquished, she released her last breath and joined her father in the stars. If you look closely, you can see that the stars are laid out in the shape of a sword."

Kate finally looked back at him with a hint of a smile on her face. "Tell me Castle, does that story really work for you with other women?"

He looked at her stunned. "What do you mean?"

"Your story," she replied, "does it work on the women you tell it to? Because frankly, you're full of crap and I'm not sure what kind of women would fall for that, but I think you can do better."

He was completely shocked by her response, "I...um...well, yes, I guess it kind of does work on them," he finally admitted, realizing he wasn't going to be able to pull one over on her. "But, how did you know?"

She laughed out loud at his ridiculous story, "Castle, you can't see the most of the same stars in Peru that you can see here, different hemispheres, so there's no way that this constellation would even have been visible by the ancient Incan warriors." He stared gaping at her response. "In addition, there's no way that can be _Luchadora,_ if such a constellation even exists at all, because it happens to be the constellation _Totem_. It comes from First Nations mythology and represents the spirit of the eagle which is also used frequently in totem poles. The two stars extending out from the second on the right are its wings."

Castle looked at her in absolute astonishment. He had entirely no idea if what she had just told him was even true, but she said it with such self-assurance that he found himself believing her without question. "Wow, um, how do you know all that?" He couldn't remember the last time that a woman had challenged him so confidently, and he found it incredibly sexy.

"I took a Native North American History course in college," she shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"Well, I'm impressed Officer Beckett. Not many people see through my bullshit. And of those who do, very few actually call me out on it." Castle smiled appreciatively back at her.

"Well, I'll call you out any time, Castle."

"Really?" Castle smiled wider. "You'll call me out? Is that the same as _asking_ me out?"

It took a moment of him staring at her, eyebrows raised in a slightly suggestive manner before she realized what she had said. "I meant I'll always call you out on your bullshit Castle. Don't get any big ideas, we just met."

"Too late," he laughed as she rolled her eyes and tried to bite back the smile that was threatening to break out.

"If you don't behave, I won't give you your surprise," she teased back. Wanting to change the topic of conversation again, she reached down into the bag by her side and started pulling items out.

"I thought this was my surprise," he looked up excited to think about what else she had in store, leaning around to look past her to see what she had for him.

"Well, I'll admit, now that I've seen this view, the rest isn't quite so spectacular." She turned back to him and held up a thermos in one hand and a bag of cookies in the other. "Care of Madge."

"Mmm hot chocolate and cookies? I couldn't have asked for anything better. This is a great surprise."

They sat silently munching on the cookies and drinking the creamy hot chocolate for some time. The view really was indescribable and although it was getting late, neither one of them really wanted to leave that spot.

"Perfect snack," Castle finally broke the silence putting aside his now empty mug, which Beckett had apparently stolen from the teacher's lounge.

"Madge offered to send more cookies, but I had to tell her that you were watching your weight," Kate looked up at him from under batting eyelashes, waiting to see how he would respond to her joke.

He gasped in mock seriousness, "What is it with you? I am _not_ soft! No matter what you or Alexis think!"

"Alexis? Your daughter? She thinks you're soft too?" Kate laughed back at him.

_Oops, how did I let that tidbit slip out?_

"Well, she said something along those lines tonight...but she clarified by saying that I was actually cuddly, not soft, and then promptly fell asleep on my lap," he chuckled. "But frankly if all the women in my life keep saying it, I'm going to get a complex."

Kate looked up at him more seriously now. She didn't know if she should address the 'all the women in my life' comment or not. She could banter back and forth with him so easily, but was this really heading in that direction? She was realizing that it probably could if she let it. The question was, did she have the courage to? It had been a while since she had dated anyone and she was feeling a little out of practice. And he was older, with a daughter, and money, and...nope, this was not the time to deal with it.

"Come on Castle," she said releasing his stare and standing up. "It's getting late. We should get back."

Castle reluctantly stood as well. He folded the blanket and handed it to her, their hands grazing gently as she took it from him. Currents of electricity bolted through them both again, forcing their eyes to lock on each other. Beckett finally broke away and put the blanket and the now empty thermos and mugs back into the bag. She turned to go, but Castle stopped her, resting his hand tenderly on her arm. She turned and looked up at him, the intensity of his deep blue eyes forcing her breath to catch.

"One last look," he suggested. Kate took a step forward nodding in agreement and stood next to him while they took in their last view of the magical sight. As they looked up to the heavens a shooting star bolted across the sky, it's fierce power leaving a trail of sparkling gems in its wake. "Make a wish, Kate." Castle turned to watch her gently close her eyes, still facing up to the sky.

Just as she opened her eyes, smiling tenderly, he turned towards her and leaned in. He stopped just shy of her lips as she stood rooted to the spot, her body tense, butterflies threatening to overwhelm her senses. He waited patiently, not wanting to continue if she didn't want him to. He could sense that he needed to let her make up her mind and come the rest of the way to him, if that was what she chose.

After a moment of silence and stillness between them, Rick finally started, "Kate, if..." but he was unsure what to say.

She shifted slightly, her eyes looking down at his soft and sensual lips, up to his eyes, back to his lips, almost trembling in anticipation, fear, hope and doubt. He saw her gaze finally lower and he shifted slightly too, raising his hand up to cup her cheek in his palm.

"Kate," he whispered softly again, lifting her chin until she looked up into his eyes, tender and caring. She moved slightly forward, not sure if he was drawing her to him or if she was moving of her own will.

Their lips met finally in a tender embrace. They both felt a tingling sensation, released from the warmth of their touch, coursing through their entire bodies, the intensity almost more than they could withstand.

Castle's hand came up slowly to mirror the other that was already softly stroking Kate's cheek. He combed his fingers through her hair, tentatively pulling it back from her face. Their lips parted slightly and he softly took her bottom lip in both of his and sucked gently.

Both in need of air, they finally broke apart silently and stared lost in each other's eyes, lost in the perfection of the moment and the fire that now glowed warmly in both of them. Their breath came in short quick bursts as they recovered from what they would both later classify as the most delicate but intense first kiss that either of them had ever experienced.

Castle looked down into her eyes and breathed her in deeply, entranced by the subtle smell of cherries. Even in the light of the moon he was still unable to tell if her eyes were brown or green, but either way, they were captivating. She stood rooted to the spot, mouth trying to work but unsure of what to say, eyes barely blinking, brain clearly not functioning. As she looked back at him, his face cast in shadow, she could see only the deep blue of his eyes, soft, yet piercing through the dark night and her thoughts.

Castle finally released his hold on her face and reached down with one hand to take the bag from her, and with his other, to grasp her now empty hand. She finally managed to focus her thoughts enough to smile hesitantly up at him, letting him know that she felt what he felt and was still just processing the experience, as he was. Castle led them back out the way they had come, both moving silently through the trees, glancing nervously at each other, smiles growing steadily as they made their way through the forest.

Finally back in the hallway of the residence building, standing in front of their doors, they turned to look at each other, still overcome with emotions from their kiss. Neither had broken the silence that began back in the forest and now they were both unsure what to say that wouldn't somehow fall short of the emotions to this point.

Not wanting to tempt fate too far, Castle lifted Kate's hand that was still grasped in his, lightly to his lips. He pressed a soft but intense kiss to the back of her hand, his eyes locked in a spell with hers. She smiled back at him, accepting his gentlemanly attempt to bid her adieu.

"Good night, Rick," she quietly whispered and smiled, her eyes sparkling in the subdued overhead lights.

He pulled his lips away from her hand, and returned her smile, "Sweet dreams Kate."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: The activities that I've described in this chapter are real trust-building activities that I lead my students through in a leadership program we have developed in our school. Even though some of them seem fairly simple, in fact, they are all very challenging in their own way and require a person both to let go of their sense of control and to allow themselves to completely trust another person. I discovered that they are more complicated to describe in writing than I thought, so hopefully they make sense. If you ever have an opportunity to try any of these (with the appropriate leadership and supervision) I highly recommend it. **

**Hope you like the chapter. As always, I welcome any and all feedback and thank you all for your continued support of my writing. I feel very honoured to have so many people following along.**

**Disclaimer: "God hath blessed you with a good name: to be a well-favoured man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature" ~ Dogberry, Much Ado About Nothing**

* * *

The sun shone brightly in the clear blue sky as Kate stepped out of the residence building. She watched as the students slowly began arriving just outside the meal hall, gathering for a quick morning discussion before breakfast. She breathed deeply, trying to center herself and tame the indulgent smile that was plastered across her face. She closed her eyes, face pointing up to the cloudless sky and breathed deeply again, trying to absorb the fresh, crisp air and the warmth from the sun at the same time.

After a few more breaths she managed to relax her body, ease the butterflies still fluttering in her stomach and control the smile to that of a normal person, not someone who had just woken from the most delicious dream. She finally started to feel lighter, more at ease. She could do this. She could get through this day without happiness and nervousness overwhelming her.

"Good morning." The sultry deep baritone voice caught her by surprise.

Kate's eyes snapped open as she looked around to where Castle had quietly come up behind her. She fumbled for words, looking around her nervously, hoping no one would look over and instantly know that they had kissed last night. But how could anyone know? _Kate, this is ridiculous, get a grip._ She breathed out the air she had been holding in and smiled lightly.

"Morning," she finally managed to stammer out. _Oh god, this is embarrassing._

"Hey, relax, it's okay," Castle replied gently placing his hand on her arm. "No need to be nervous, same guy as last night. Maybe just with a little bigger smile on his face." He smiled down at her, easing her nervous tension with his soothing tone.

She smiled back at him a bit more relaxed, "Um, I..." she stammered out again before his attention darted away from her.

"Look out!" He laughed as a bright red flash sped past Kate and into his arms. He lifted Alexis up and spun in a circle, just narrowly avoiding hitting Kate as they twirled.

"Hi Daddy!" Alexis held her arms wrapped tight around her father, her cheek pressed firmly against his.

"Good morning pumpkin," he said finally slowing their spin and lowering her to the ground. As Alexis regained her balance, Rick remembered Kate, who had moved out of the way to avoid their helicopter greeting. His eyes locked on hers and then back to Alexis, a wide beaming smile shared to both of them. "Alexis, have you met Officer Beckett yet?"

Alexis looked up at her father, returning his smile, and then over at Kate. Remembering her manners, she held out a hand to shake Kate's, "Hi Officer Beckett."

"Hello Alexis, it's really nice to meet you."

"You too. And thanks for coming on our trip with us. The other kids are all really excited that you're here." Rick proudly looked upon his daughter with great pleasure at just how friendly and thoughtful she could be.

"Well, it's my pleasure. I'm actually having a lot of fun." Kate looked up at Rick, a slightly flirtatious smile playing on her lips. Rick raised his eyebrows suggestively in return.

"We should go to the meeting now. I think Miss Travers is ready to tell us about the schedule for the day." Alexis reached out and grasped Kate's hand with such a casual familiarity it made Kate's breath catch in her throat. Then Alexis entwined her fingers with her father's, squeezing his palm adoringly.

As the three walked hand in hand in hand to where the rest of the group was gathering, Rick watched as Kate stared down at his little girl, then up at him.

Castle wasn't sure quite how to describe the look on Kate's face. It started as something between surprise and panic, but was there more? Yes, he could see now that it was changing to a tentative look of enjoyment, of peace and acceptance. He had seen that look before, at the airport, in the eyes of people returning home to their loved ones. There was a sense of safety about the look Kate had on her face, like she believed that she could trust this little girl with her heart, knowing that it would never be more loved or supported or protected. He could see that Kate had found in Alexis a kindred spirit. Warmth grew in Castle's chest feeling that this moment would be with them all for a very long time.

Kate lived that same moment differently from Rick. Although the emotions she felt matched what he saw on her face, her thoughts were far from the present. As she looked down at the small soft hand that had grasped on to hers, her initial reaction was surprise and panic. But just as quickly, that look changed as she began to relive a memory, a time in her life when she had no cares or worries, when the weight of the world and the safety of the citizens of New York were not her concern.

She remembered a day, not unlike this one, when her parents had taken her to Central Park. No older than Alexis was now, young Kate had skipped happily along the path, her parents holding hands, trailing behind her. They had laid out a blanket in the cool grass and had a picnic of cucumber sandwiches and fresh fruit and she had fallen asleep with her head in her mother's lap as her father read from one of her favorite books. It was a day of serenity and joy that Kate had rarely experienced since.

Bringing her attention finally back to the present, Kate was surprised that although she was reliving the memory from her own point of view, she was also identifying with the emotions that her mother had felt for her little family. She looked down again at Alexis and felt an instant connection with her, a need to keep her safe from everything the harsh world had to offer. Her heart welled with an emotion she didn't think she would ever allow herself to feel again, unconditional love. It was surprising to her to feel such an instant bond but somewhere deep down inside of her, she knew that she shouldn't question it.

* * *

After breakfast, the students and their chaperones walked a short ways into the forest to a large flat clearing with a few picnic tables strewn about. The group of students was split into two smaller groups, with Kate, Rick and Miss Travers taking one group and Don and Anita taking the other. In their small group, Miss Travers led the students through a series of activities and games designed to build trust in one another.

They started with a few easy games. _Blueberry Jam_ was an instant favorite among the whole group. Everyone was partnered up and had to come up with a two word phrase, like 'blueberry jam' to use as their signal to one another. The pairs were then split up and Miss Travers moved them all around with their eyes closed so that no one knew where their partner was. Each person had to call one of the words from their phrase, listening in turn for their partner's call of the other word, carefully moving closer and closer until they had found one another.

With an uneven number of students, Kate had volunteered to participate and had managed to get partnered with Alexis for the activity. They both giggled merrily as they called out their phrase, Alexis calling 'Han' and Kate calling 'Solo'. When they finally were reunited, they threw their arms around each other in a big welcoming hug. Castle watched silently from the sidelines thoroughly enjoying seeing his daughter so happy. He also liked seeing a more care-free side of Beckett. Not to mention he fully approved of their choice of phrase, appreciating that Kate might just have a bit of sci-fi nerd in her, a quality which he found highly lacking in most of the women he met.

The group proceeded on with more activities. Alexis forced Rick to join in for the blindfolded obstacle course. Her job was to guide him around a variety of objects placed in unknown locations on the ground before him by describing how big a step he should take and in which direction.

"Dad, take one giant step straight ahead. Now take a small step to your left. No, Dad, a small step. Wait! Stop! Don't..." Rick felt a crunch under his left foot as he descended on a large pine cone.

"Oops. Sorry." He was finding this activity very challenging.

"Castle, you're going to have to actually listen to your daughter if you want to make it through without stepping on everything around you," Kate warned.

"Beckett, this isn't as easy as it might look, you know. I really can't see a thing," he replied with more than a little frustration in his voice.

"You're going to have to give up trying to control this and let Alexis guide you."

"But Beckett, I can't see. How am I supposed to avoid the obstacles?" Kate and Alexis shared a glance, both rolling their eyes at his petulance.

"Dad, you have to _trust_ me. Listen to the words I'm using and try to do _exactly_ what I tell you." Alexis smiled at Kate and watched as her father finally showed some sign of giving in to her.

"Okay," he replied meekly, "I'll try. What's next?"

Alexis managed to guide him successfully the rest of the way and met him at the end of the course with a big bear hug.

"Daddy I'm so proud of you," she whispered into his ear and gave him a small peck on the cheek. Kate watched the exchange and felt a tugging at her heartstrings. Their relationship was so simple and sweet. It was something she had no idea that she longed for until she saw how beautiful it could be.

"Thank you pumpkin. You were a great leader and I couldn't have made it without you." He hugged her tightly and returned her kiss with one of his own. This was a side of Castle that Beckett had never expected from him. She was realizing that his public persona was probably more of an act than of reality. There was truly more to him than she would have believed.

Miss Travers demonstrated the next activity with Beckett's help. She stood with her back to Kate and locked her hands together, fingers laced and held tightly to her chest. The two spoke a few phrases to ensure they were both ready, then Miss Travers proceeded to fall backwards into Kate's waiting hands. Kate leaned Miss Travers back slightly, absorbing her weight, before returning her to a standing position. Beckett talked to the students about the seriousness of the activity, letting them know how important it was that no one be allowed to fall without being caught. They divided the kids into groups of two and three based on their height, giving Kate and Rick a chance to work together.

After they had ensured that all of the kids were taking the necessary safety precautions, Castle turned to Beckett. "Want to give it a try Officer Beckett?" he asked.

She looked up at him, worry and hesitation written across her face. "Oh, I don't know. I, um..." It was unlike Kate to feel fear in the face of danger. She rushed headlong into gunfights, tackled escaping criminals and took point when entering a suspect's dwelling. Even as a child she had refused a nightlight just so she could face her fear of the dark head on. Kate never backed down from a challenge, but for some reason, here in the peace and quiet of the forest clearing, she was hesitating. Here, in this situation, it was different. This activity required that she give up her control, that she completely trust another person. She would be unable to rely on her own strengths. She knew herself, trusted herself, but now, she had to trust him.

"Hey, don't worry, I'll catch you," Castle tried persuading her.

"Um, well," Beckett swallowed hard, her tongue now dry inside her mouth.

Castle moved closer to her, resting his hand lightly on her arm, as he had done the night before under the stars. "Kate, you can trust me. I won't let you fall." The look in his eyes conveyed his desire to protect her. She felt like maybe he was talking about more than just their current activity. Her question to herself, as it had been the night before, was did she have the courage to let him.

"Okay," she finally whispered.

Castle moved in close behind her putting his hands on her upper arms. He could tell that she was going to need more encouragement and that she needed to know he would be there for her. He watched as she clasped her hands together nervously, her breath becoming more ragged by the moment. He rubbed his hands up and down her arms gently, trying to help her relax. He could tell that she didn't often give up control, that this was a very big step for her and he wanted her to know that she really could rely on him.

Just as she started to relax and her breathing settled, Castle whispered in her ear, "Close your eyes." She turned and looked back at him frantically, the panic rising again. "It's okay, I've got you. You can do this." His face held a look of such strength and care for her that she was able to turn back around, take a deep breath and close her eyes. "Now, keep your body straight as a board. Don't bend your knees. Don't move your feet. Just lean back." He kept his instructions straightforward and clear, giving her the confidence that maybe she really could trust him.

She stood rooted for a moment, unsure whether to let go and fall. A million ideas swirled through her mind, clouding her resolve. "Kate," he whispered again, "you can trust me. You've got this, just let go." She hesitated a moment more, then released.

She felt herself falling back for what seemed like forever. She nearly let go of her hands, nearly moved her foot back to catch herself, nearly broke the tension in her body, all of which were designed to keep her safe. She nearly broke. But then out of the abyss, she felt his strength behind her, felt his hands on her shoulders, supporting her. He allowed her to fall further back absorbing her weight with his body before using his strength to bring her back to vertical. Keeping one hand on her arm, he moved around to face her as she stood, eyes still clamped shut.

"Kate? Are you okay?" Her face was taut, her lips pursed together. As the tension eventually faded from her face, she slowly opened her eyes, staring down at his chest, releasing the breath she had held in fear. Her mouth gently curved into a tentative smile as she looked up to find his eyes full of concern.

"Wow, that was..." she was at a total loss for words. What had looked like such a simple activity had required more from her than she had expected. She knew the activity was designed to force a person to trust their partner, but she had no idea that it would take such a great leap of faith. She had actually thought it looked easy at first, but the fluttering in her stomach and the rapid beating of her heart told her that it required every ounce of trust that she had to allow herself to fall. Even at work, while she trusted her fellow officers, she realized now that she always made sure that she was in the lead, that she was taking control. She rarely let another officer take that control away from her.

Castle looked at her as she processed her experience, wanting to give her the chance to work it all through before he congratulated her efforts. This had been a very big deal for her and he was actually honored that she had been able to fall. For a moment, he had questioned whether she would.

"You caught me." She finally stated simply. Her eyes welled with the emotion and adrenaline that were both coursing through her.

"I'll always catch you," he replied, knowing that in fact he would do anything to be there for her whenever she needed him. That he _wanted_ to be there for her. This was a new feeling for him, but he wasn't afraid of what it meant.

Kate smiled back at him, hearing the words, but recognizing, as he had, that he meant it more than just for today. It steadied her mind and softened the pounding of her heart. She too wasn't afraid of what it meant.

"Rick?" she felt a new strength rising up in her as she asked. "Can I go again?"

He smiled back at her, a new level of happiness building up in him. Despite the fears she had felt, she was willing to trust him again. He immediately recognized the significance of her request.

"Really? Of course," he replied.

They spent the next few minutes taking turns falling into each other's waiting hands. Rick had been nervous the first time too, though he wasn't concerned with the falling part. In fact, he was looking forward to feeling even a bit of the rush that Kate had felt when she first tried. His concern was more about whether she actually could catch him.

"Beckett, I'm too heavy," he'd argued.

"Seriously, Castle? You think the NYPD would hire a police officer who was weak?" She countered his argument. "Besides, you're soft enough that if I drop you it shouldn't hurt too much." A light glinted in her eyes as she teased him. He looked up indignant at her comment. "I'm kidding Castle. I get it, you're a big, _solid, _guy. But don't worry, I'll catch you. Trust me."

He had finally relented and fell back into Kate's waiting hands. She had made sure to keep her legs steady under his weight. Catching his fall and returning him to vertical had taken more strength than she had expected, but she had managed to do it without too much effort.

The final activity of the morning found the kids each taking a turn to fall backwards off one of the picnic tables into the waiting arms of their classmates, the definitive statement of trust. Several of the students glanced nervously around trying to decide who would be the first to try. It was going to be a really scary activity for some of them and it seemed that no one wanted to volunteer to go first. Then, as Castle had suspected she would, Alexis marched up to the front of the line, her head held high, staring fear in the face. Beckett was impressed by the little girl's resolve and bravery.

Eventually all of the students managed to swallow their fears long enough to fall off the table. The activity built in each of them not only a new-found trust in their peers, but also a new confidence in themselves, knowing they had each conquered one fear or another.

Castle and Beckett stood quietly to the side as one by one the students all made their way onto the table to fall. They had agreed that while they now trusted each other, at least in a simple two-person trust fall, that they were not about to climb up on that table. The decision came from their realization that the students just weren't strong enough to catch them, no matter how hard they might try, or trustworthy they might be. It was simply a matter of physics.

Castle wondered if Kate would be willing to try if there had been a group of adults to catch her. He wondered how far her trust extended.

The morning activities finally concluded and they all walked back to the campsite, the kids talking and laughing with the students from the other group, sharing their stories of the morning. Castle and Beckett walked slowly behind the students reflecting on their own experiences.

"Rick?" Kate finally broke their silent musings.

"Mm-hmm?"

"Thanks for not letting me fall."

He looked at her with a smile, his eyes conveying the many emotions that he was feeling: happiness that she was willing to open herself up, pride at having watched her step outside her comfort zone and allowing him to catch her, contentment in knowing that she was bonding with his daughter, and hope that maybe she would allow him to continue to be a part of her life, even after this trip was over.

"Kate, I told you already, I'll always catch you." She smiled back at him believing that he actually would.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Okay well, this chapter went all kinds of places I wasn't expecting. It gets a little dark partway through, necessary for later in the story, but I think I've managed to make it fun and fluffy in the end nonetheless. I hope you like it.**

**Thank you to everyone who had reviewed, favourited and followed my story. I am really grateful for you all and I'm glad I can entertain you every couple of days with a new chapter :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, and after Monday night's Valentine's episode, I'm okay with that...sort of. Marlowe, you are a clever, clever man and I bow down to your genius. Huge love to the cast and crew for giving us such a fun episode! Am dying for the two-parter next week!**

* * *

After lunch, twenty-two youthful pairs of eyes stared nervously up into the sky. The adults weren't expressing much confidence either. For those who had struggled that morning with the trust fall activities, the plan for the afternoon posed a significantly greater challenge.

As Kate and Rick, trailing behind the students, finally broke through the trees into the clearing, their reactions were the exact opposite of each other's. While both stopped dead in their tracks, mid-stride, it was clear by the looks on their faces that they felt very differently about their next adventure.

Almost in unison they both quietly exclaimed, "Oh my God." Unlike their initial reactions to trying the trust falls earlier that day, this time, it was not Kate who felt the most fear. Instead, as she looked around at the apparatus that rose before them, her eyes lit up and sparkled, a wide smile beaming across her face.

Castle on the other hand, had whispered his remark with trepidation dripping from his words. His eyes widened, practically bugging out of his head, and his mouth had immediately dried up. It was as though someone had stuffed a Sham-wow in his mouth and soaked up all the moisture. He swallowed thickly, his mind a jumble. In the back of it, he vaguely heard Miss Travers welcoming the group to the 'Noisy River Adventure Park', but in the forefront of his mind, he could only think one thing: _Why is it so high?_

"Castle isn't this fantasti..." Kate looked over to Castle, expressing the excitement she thought for sure they would share. To her surprise, and dismay, the look on Castle's face was the exact opposite of what she had been expecting to see. "Castle, are you okay?" Concern etched into Beckett's features as she took in his worried expression.

"Wh-What?" his voice was hoarse, quiet as a breath. His gaze remained fixated on the sight before him.

"Castle," Kate called again, her voice more stern in an effort to bring him out of the terror that was clearly setting in.

Finally, he managed to tear his gaze away long enough to notice Beckett, her brow furrowed as she watched him with unease. "Um, what did you say?"

"I asked if you were okay. You look...pale."

"Who me?" Posturing to save face, Castle tried unsuccessfully to cover the panic that had settled itself in his chest. "Nah, I'm fine. I just...I just..." His voice faltered as he turned back to stare at the rest of the group now moving hesitantly to a small shack across the open space from where they were standing. "It's just...why does it have to be so _high_?" He asked rhetorically as his eyes roamed higher and higher, like he was looking up, looking _way_ up, to see the _Friendly Giant_.

"You're afraid of heights?" Beckett asked, her incredulous tone not lost on him.

He looked from Beckett over to the students, to make sure they hadn't heard her. He noticed Anita standing off to the side of the group, trying very hard not to watch their private conversation. He grimaced slightly before looking back to Kate. "It's not uncommon you know," he said defensively. "Lots of people are afraid of heights."

"No, I know," Beckett tried to back track, not wanting to sound too insensitive to his obvious discomfort. "It's just, after this morning, I guess I wasn't expecting that." Her look softened trying to provide some comfort to him.

"Yeah, well, falling with your feet still on the ground is a lot different from climbing forty feet up a...is that a _canoe_?" Looking at the high ropes climbing course that rose up around them, Castle's gaze settled on the most unique of the climbing runs.

Beckett raised her eyes to see what Castle was pointing at. Several baseball bats hung horizontally a few feet off the ground, like the rungs of a ladder, from thick, sturdy-looking wire cables. Above those, a canoe hung vertically, swaying slightly in the light breeze, a few wall-climbing holds affixed to the smooth underside of the craft. Higher above the canoe was another ladder made of two-by-fours, five rungs in total. Finally, sitting atop the plank ladder was the ultimate goal, an Adirondack chair, fixed in place by more thick cables. The prize for achieving the pinnacle of the run was a seat so high it was like sitting on top of the world, literally.

"Wow," gasped Beckett. "I bet you can see the whole valley from up there. It's gotta be spectacular."

"Uh-huh," Castle clearly didn't share her enthusiasm. "Wait a second, why are you so excited about this? This morning you were more than a little nervous, but this is way scarier." As much as Castle's reaction may have been unexpected, Beckett's was even more so.

"Well, two reasons really," she started counting them off. "First, I've done some indoor wall climbing before, at the Academy, so I know what it feels like. And second, look at the equipment, the harnesses, the thickness of the ropes."

"Yeah?" Castle asked confused.

"Castle did you know that you can pull a jet with one of those ropes and it won't break?"

"And you trust _that_ more than you trust a person to catch you falling two feet?"

"A plane, Castle. _It can pull a plane_." A look of exasperation crossed her face as she saw him looking at her, still not getting it. "Castle, I'm a cop, I've seen people at their worst. People can be unreliable. Sometimes, when you need them the most, when you're falling, they aren't there for you."

Castle looked into her eyes, a blank expression on his face. He looked deeply, trying to see if that was really all there was to it. He sensed that it wasn't her cop experiences that had taught her that painful lesson. Deep behind her confidence, Castle glimpsed a pain that she had clearly tried to bury deep down inside.

Beckett's mind flew back in time.

_It was three years ago, the first anniversary of her mother's death. She had gone to her father's apartment in the hopes that they could console each other's grief. She hadn't talked to him in over a month and she was worried about him. So, she picked up some burgers and fries at their favorite greasy spoon. _

_Beckett stood at his door balancing the bag, the two strawberry milkshakes and her purse in one hand, while she struggled to get her key into the lock with the other. She finally got the door open and stepped into the front hall. "Dad?" she called out hoping he could come and take the food from her while she took off her boots, but there was no response. "Dad? Are you home?" she called again._

_Beckett moved slowly into the apartment, not bothering to remove her boots or put down her purse or the food, but the minute she saw him, everything fell to the ground. Her father was lying sprawled in the middle of the kitchen floor, the stark tiles cold and firm beneath him. As she ran up to him, she noticed an empty bottle sitting precariously at the edge of the counter, the remains of a high ball glass shattered around him and a faint golden liquid puddled on the floor._

_"Dad? Oh my god! Dad are you okay?" She shook him lightly, not wanting to add to any injuries he may already have sustained. "Dad? Can you hear me?"_

_Slowly, the body below her stirred slightly, a voice slurring up from the floor, "Katie? –hic– is that you? Wha're you doi-doing here?"_

_Kate's hands sprung back from her father's body in shock, her eyes opened wide and her mouth went slack. He was drunk._

That had been the first of many nights during which Kate had literally picked her father up off the floor and cleaned up his mess. She had gone to see him more frequently after that, in the hopes that she could get him out of his depression, out of the bottle, but it became clear soon enough that she was not going to be able to help him. He needed to want to help himself, but his grief was just too raw to allow that to happen. Eventually, Kate formed the idea that if she could just once and for all, find her mother's killer, that her dad would be able to move forward and get the help that he needed. That night was what had led her to the Police Academy, drove her to be the best cop she could possibly be, but it was also what had caused her to lose her ability to trust other people.

"Kate?" Castle had been staring at her as she drifted off into some other world. He wasn't sure where she had gone but judging by the look on her face, it was not a happy place. He could see moisture building up in the corners of her eyes, the rims reddening with sadness...or was it grief? His heart ached for her as she snapped back to reality and tried to compose herself without bringing attention to the fact that she was bordering on tears.

Now, three years after that day, her father was finally making some progress, finally making an effort to live. He had been going to AA meetings, relying heavily on his sponsor, especially since he refused to go to any outside counselling. But for Beckett, she could see his progress. He wasn't yet able to really deal with the death of his beloved wife, but he was able to see the futility of the alcohol he had been drowning himself in. Kate wasn't in a position to really rely on him yet, to trust him fully again, but things were getting better. Just the other day, he had shown up out of the blue at the precinct, burgers and fries in a bag in one hand and strawberry shakes in the other. They had shared a meal, laughed and told stories, and slowly started to rebuild their broken bond. He was trying and she was hopeful.

"Kate? Um, can I...? Are you...? What can I do?" Kate finally looked at Castle. He had moved in closer, turning her so that she was facing away from the kids now getting strapped into their climbing harnesses. He kept his hands on her arms, steadying her, pulling her back to the present, giving her strength. The look on his face was a mixture of concern and kindness, and as Kate slowly pulled herself out of her memories, she was thankful that he was there. She could feel the tenderness and the strength of his touch and it was helping her to move past the troubling memories of her life and focus on her hopes for the future.

She smiled up at him, her eyes glistening with moisture but getting brighter by the moment. She used her sleeve to dab at her eyes and blinked a few times, wiping away the last vestiges of sadness.

"Kate? Where did you go?" Despite the visible change in her demeanor, he was still worried.

"I'm okay. Sorry, just drifted for a minute there." She replied noncommittally. It was way too soon to be talking about her intensely messed up past with him.

"You're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a sad memory, but I'm okay."

He smiled down at her, giving her another once-over to convince himself she was telling the truth. She smiled back at him, reassuringly. "Well, if you're sure you're okay..." Yeah, he still wasn't convinced, but at the same time he didn't want to push her. Clearly this was a powerful memory and it really wasn't the time or place to get into it. But in his mind, he reserved the right to ask her about it later. He wasn't sure when later was going to be, but he knew that someday, they would talk about where her mind had just taken her.

"I am. Really, I'm okay. But Castle?" He relaxed slightly hearing the calm and almost happy tone in her voice.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Nothing really. Just thanks." She smiled, squeezed his arm restoring his confidence more, and guided him over to the rest of the group, ready to face the next adventure.

* * *

As the kids gathered at the base of the easiest climb, a rope ladder hanging next to the canoe run, a pair of young forest rangers, dressed in matching uniforms, explained the safety protocols for climbing. They were both in their early twenties but seemed to have a vast amount of knowledge about the adventure park, the equipment being used, and climbing in general. Their confidence and reassurances started to set the kids' minds at ease.

Castle and Beckett arrived as the male ranger, David, asked for their first volunteer. Tommy Penn raised his hand confidently and ran to the ladder to get tied into the safety ropes. The ladder ran straight up to the height of the Adirondack chair, but required a lot less skill at climbing to achieve the goal of smacking the volleyball hanging at the top of the run. It looked like a good easy climb for the first-timers to try. There were a few other easy climbs around the course and Miss Travers, Don, and the female ranger, Tracy, all set up ready to belay the climbers. Everyone dispersed around the area to watch and to get ready to climb.

"Hi Dad," Castle looked down to find Alexis and Paige standing in front of him. "Hi Officer Beckett." Alexis smiled brightly at them both, but Paige did not look so happy.

"Hi pumpkin. Hi Paige." Castle smiled down at both of them. "Paige, are you okay?"

Paige stared up at the two adults hesitantly. "Paige is afraid to climb." Alexis answered for her simply. "But I told her there's nothing to be afraid of."

"Well, you're right sweetheart, there's nothing to be afraid of. Paige, have you ever tried anything like this before?" Castle looked down at her as reassuringly as he could, despite his own fears. She shook her head silently, clearly too overcome to speak. "Well, I haven't tried before either but Officer Beckett was just telling me that she has and says it's really safe. Did you know that those ropes are so strong you can pull a plane with them?" Paige's eyes widened slightly, but Alexis looked at him doubting.

"Dad..." Alexis groaned.

"No, it's true. Officer Beckett told me." He looked over at Kate, eyes pleading for support.

"Yep, it's true. I did some climbing at the police academy and my instructor showed us a video when we said we didn't believe him." Kate crouched down to look at Paige. "You know Paige, the first time I had to climb I was really scared too." Kate's eyes crinkled as she smiled softly.

"You were?" Paige replied meekly, looking up.

"Yeah." Kate laughed remembering the experience. "I was so scared that I would fall and that I would get really hurt. But the cool thing is that you're wearing all this really safe equipment so even if you slip, you won't fall very far at all."

Paige hesitated when Beckett mentioned falling. "I don't want to fall." She said simply.

"That's exactly how I felt too, so my instructor made me fall to show me that it was okay."

Paige's eyes just about bugged out of her head again. "Your instructor _made_ you fall?" Castle and Alexis stared open-mouthed as Kate told her story.

"I got halfway up the wall on my first climb and my instructor told me to stop because there was a kink in the rope. I did but my legs were shaking and my hands were cramping and all my muscles were sore from holding on so tight. My instructor, his name was Apollo, by the way," they all chuckled at the sound of his name, breaking some of the tension. "So Apollo looks up at me from the ground where he's holding my ropes and he tells me that the only way that we can get rid of the kink was for me to jump back from the wall, that doing that would snap the ropes straight and tight again. I had never climbed before so I didn't know that he was lying to me."

"He lied to you?" Asked Paige innocently.

"Yes he did. In fact there was nothing wrong with the ropes but he was trying to make me get over my fears by telling me that there was."

"So what did you do?"

"Well, I was really scared, but Apollo told me that I would be stuck up there until I jumped. So, I closed my eyes, took a really deep breath, and I just let go of the wall." All three listeners took a sharp breath in, imagining Beckett falling backwards off the wall.

"What happened?" Castle whispered in total amazement. He had crouched down next to Kate at some point as he had gotten reeled in by her story.

She looked over at him, amused by how entranced he had become. "Well, nothing, really. I fell about a foot before the ropes and the harness caught me. It didn't even hurt. Then when I finally made it back down to the ground, Apollo told me how there wasn't anything really wrong with the ropes, that he had just said it to get me to be not afraid anymore. And it worked. Now I love climbing. I know I can trust the equipment completely, that it's not going to break." Paige and Alexis both nodded in understanding.

"So Paige," Castle looked at the two girls. "Do you think you maybe want to give it a try?"

Paige looked at each one of them in turn for reassurance, finally settling on Kate. Beckett responded to her look with such a strong look of confidence that it bolstered Paige's spirits. "Okay," she nodded, still a bit hesitant, but with a growing sense of determination, "I'll try."

"Yes!" Alexis clapped her hands together and then threw them around Paige in a big supportive hug. "Come on Paige, I think I know which one we should try." And with that, the two girls were bounding off to where Don stood waiting.

Castle and Beckett stood from their crouched positions, stretching their legs to ease the tension. "Beckett that was an amazing story. It must have been such a great feeling." Castle looked at her earnestly with pride at her accomplishment, even though it had happened so long ago and he hadn't even known her then. He still now felt some kind of a connection to her through the story. But the look on her face made him stop.

Kate was grinning like the cat who ate the canary. Like she had a secret that she could barely contain. Suddenly it dawned on Castle, "No! Beckett! Don't tell me...you lied? That story wasn't real?"

Kate just shook her head in response, stifling the laughter that was threatening to roll out of her. "But...but you sounded so convincing. You even made _me_ believe you. Why would you...?" Again the realization of her purpose became clear. "Oh, my god! You're Apollo!"

Now it was Beckett's turn to look strangely at him, "What?"

"Apollo, you're Apollo, from your story. You know, Apollo told you a lie that was for your own good to get you to do something that you were afraid to try. Just like you just did with Paige. You're Apollo!"

Kate finally let the laughter burst out. "Yeah, I guess I am."

Castle looked back at her in mock disgust, "Officer Beckett, lying to children? I would have thought that was beneath you."

Kate laughed at him harder, "Castle are you more upset that I lied to the girls or that I got you to believe my story?" Castle paused, knowing it was the latter but not wanting to admit to it. "I mean if nothing else, I figured you'd catch on to the irony."

Castle raised his eyebrows, searching back through her story, trying to figure out what exactly was ironic about it, but he just couldn't grasp it. "I...?"

"Oh come on Castle," Kate teased, "you're a writer, you do know what irony is right?" She had a playful look in her eyes that was driving him crazy for more than the obvious reason.

"Of course I know what irony is. I'm trying to figure out how exactly you used it." He was starting to get a bit frustrated. He hated a mystery he couldn't solve. "Shit, I don't...okay fine, tell me. What was so _ironic_ in your story?"

"Apollo?" Kate looked at him raising her eyebrows, but Castle shook his head not making the connection.

"Greek god of music?"

Exasperated she finally spelled it out for him, "Yes, he was the god of music, but he was also the god of truth. He could not tell a lie."

Castle finally made the connection and replied slyly, "Ah, I see what you did there. Clever Officer Beckett, very clever. I can't believe I didn't pick up on that. I must be slipping."

"Well, I thought calling him George Washington would have been a bit too obvious," they laughed.

"Yes I think even Alexis might have picked up on it if you'd done that. On the other hand, you've given me a new insight into your character."

"Oh really? How so?" Kate was intrigued to find out what he thought he knew about her.

"Well, first of all, you must have a good education. Not often people use the word ironic correctly." She raised her eyebrows at him. "It's one of my pet peeves," he replied to her unvoiced question nonchalantly.

"Noted," she replied as if she was adding it to a mental list of his idiosyncrasies.

"And second, you're a really good liar, though I'll use the word storyteller in public so as not to ruin your street cred with the kids." She laughed at his ridiculousness.

As they walked together to watch Paige climb one of the rope ladders, Castle ruminated on an idea that had just sparked in his mind.

_Character. Kate Beckett. Character...hmmm..._

He hadn't thought about writing for some time. He wasn't sure how but he had managed to push his current block so far down that it had taken him a whole twenty-four hours with this remarkable woman before he realized what an incredible character she would make for a book. Yep, he was definitely slipping.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: So, here's the next chapter. I'm actually on holiday for the long weekend and have decided to devote my time to working on the variety of writing projects I have on the go. I'm really hoping to actually get this story finished this weekend so expect a lot more updates, though with the time it took me to get this one done, I may not actually reach my goal. **

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited so far. Do you think the chapters are getting too long? Are they too short? Too many words? Not enough? Any feedback you can give me is always appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: Andrew Marlowe is the man. I am in awe of everyone at Castle and continue to hope that I'm doing justice to their fantastic work. Let's face it, this is the closest any of us will ever come to owning any piece of it other than what's in our hearts :)**

**PS: Anyone else as delighted as I was by Nathan's charmingly ridiculous Valentine's tweets? Seriously, could he be any more dreamy?**

* * *

The sun moved lazily across the sky as the sound of children laughing and screaming, sometimes with joy and sometimes with fear, rose through the air. After an hour of climbing, the kids were really starting to get the hang of it and were now choosing to take on some of the more difficult runs.

Castle watched proudly, but with more than a hint of concern, as Alexis stared down her own fears to take on several of the different climbs. She had seemed to especially enjoy the tightrope walk, showing off her balancing skills as she successfully made it across the line, only having to grasp the shoulder height guide wire twice for support.

Each time she climbed up, Castle found himself holding his breath issuing a small prayer that the ropes really were as strong as Beckett had suggested. After discovering that her story wasn't true, he had forgotten to ask her about the actual strength of the ropes. At this point, he wasn't sure if any of her story was true or not, though she seemed to really enjoy the climbing herself, so he was assuming at least that part was accurate. Since neither Castle nor Beckett was trained to belay the climbers, they were free to participate if they chose. Castle had declined.

As Alexis finally returned back down to the ground again, Castle released both his tension and the breath he had been holding. She ran up to him, a huge smile beaming across her face.

"Dad did you see me? Wasn't that great?"

"Yes pumpkin, I did see you. You were awesome!" He really was quite proud of her.

"Dad you haven't climbed yet. Don't you want to?" Castle gulped trying to steady his voice so he could respond, the thought of climbing starting to overwhelm him.

"Yeah, Castle, don't you want to climb?" Castle turned around to see that Beckett too had finished her climb and returned to see him. A light smile played on her face as she tried to goad him into agreeing.

"You know, I just wanted to make sure that everyone else got to do as much climbing as they wanted. I really don't need to. I'm happy to just watch and take a few pictures. He held up his digital camera to show them some of the snaps he had taken of Alexis. As he scrolled, Kate suddenly stopped him.

"Hey, is that me?" She asked surprised. All of the other pictures had been of Alexis, but there Kate was, climbing up the back of the canoe. It had been a really challenging climb, but the view from the chair at the top had been breathtaking. So worth the effort.

Castle looked at her a bit sheepishly. "I had to. Just look at the determination on your face. It was...inspiring." He smiled a bit, hoping that she wouldn't be upset with him. But as she looked closer at the picture, the smile widened across her face and he knew she was pleased with it.

"This is a really cool picture Castle. Really cool." She stared at it taking in all of the details.

"Well, I guess I'll have to print you a copy then," he replied, happy that she liked it.

"Dad, I think you can climb now. All the kids have had a chance to go a couple of times. I'm sure no one would mind if you tried. And I can take your picture." Alexis looked up at him innocently, not realizing the uncomfortable position she was putting him in. He really didn't want to climb, his palms were sweating just thinking about it, and his pulse was rising steadily.

"Oh, that's okay Alexis, I'll just let everyone keep going. No problem." He hoped he didn't sound as scared as he was feeling. He really didn't want to look weak in front of his daughter. Rick looked over to Beckett pleading for support, but she didn't take the bait. In fact, she completely hung him out to dry.

"Oh come on Castle, you should try it. There's a few easy ones over there that no one is climbing right now. Why don't you just try?" Castle gaped at her in disbelief. She knew he was scared of heights, what was she playing at? Just then Kate winked at him. Castle realized that she knew exactly what she was doing. She was trying to get him to face his fear head on, maybe to overcome it.

"Kate...no..." he whispered hoping Alexis wouldn't hear, but she did.

"Daddy? Are you scared?" A worried expression filled her small face.

_Oh no. Don't look at me like that. Alexis, do not look at me like that._ "What?" He asked, his pitch rising suspiciously high. "Me? Afraid? Are you silly? Have you ever known me to be scared of anything?" He cleared his voice trying to get it to return to its normal octave.

"Well," Alexis thought earnestly about his questions. "No, I guess not."

"No. That's right. There's nothing to be afraid of right?" He looked up at Kate a mix of fear and anger on his face at her forcing him into this position.

"No, Castle, there's really nothing to be afraid of," Kate tried to reassure him, but the look on his face told her that she wasn't doing a very good job. _Maybe I should have thought about this more before pushing him. Now he's trapped, and clearly scared. I have to fix this._

Just then she took him by the arm and guided him over to a climb that none of the kids had tried yet. "Come with me Castle." She whispered as they walked, Alexis trailing behind them.

"Kate," Castle whispered angrily. "What did you do? What am I going to do? You have got to get me out of this. I can't do this." He started pleading with her.

"Castle, you can do this and you will." When he looked at her terrified and confused she added, "And I'm going to help you."

They arrived at the climb and looked up. It looked simple enough from where they stood but Castle thought something seemed off about the distance between the rungs of the ladder. "Kate, there's something wrong with this ladder." There were a total of eight four-by-four horizontal beams, about ten feet long each, held together by thick wire cables, but they were not evenly spaced. They started out close enough together that a person could hoist them self from one to the next, but Castle could see that as they got higher, they also got farther apart.

A look of confusion settled across his face as he tried to figure out how exactly one person could climb this ladder. "Kate," he whispered again, "I don't think I can climb this. Look how far apart the rungs get as you get higher. I mean I would be able to reach each one, but I don't know if I can pull myself up without looking like a total fool. Not to even mention _how high up it is_."

"I told you Castle, I'm going to help you."

"Unless you plan on hoisting me up with the rope, I don't think you can."

"Not pull Castle, boost." Castle looked at her, confusion still clouding his face. "It's a partner climb Castle. We're going to do it together." His mouth dropped open in shock at the words that had just come out of her mouth. A twinkle lit up his eyes and he sucked in a breath, his fears momentarily forgotten at his interpretation of her words.

Kate gasped slightly as the realization of what she had just said hit her. She shook her head at him, rolling her eyes, "Settle down Castle. Your daughter is right behind me."

"Oh. Right. Gotcha." He shook the look off his face but then winked at her, "Later." He smiled provocatively. When she looked at him in disbelief he replied, "What? Too soon?"

"A day, Castle. We've known each other a day."

"Right. Okay. Well, then, _much_ later."

Beckett chose to ignore his comment. "Come on Castle, let's climb."

Castle gulped remembering where they were and the challenge they were about to embark on. His fears resettled in the pit of his stomach and his mouth was instantly dry. Kate handed him a harness and watched as he tried to tighten the straps, but his fingers seemed to have stopped working. She moved in to help him and then tied him in to the rope that would keep them from falling too far if they happened to slip off one of the rungs.

"If I wasn't so terrified right now, I'm sure I'd make some kind of a joke about you tying me up," he offered dryly as she attached her own harness to the other rope hanging from high above them.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing you're too nervous then, right?" Castle laughed anxiously, another feeble attempt to distract himself from what was about to happen.

Tracy and David, the park rangers, came over to check their ropes and get ready to belay the two climbers. "Oooo I love this climb," cooed Tracy. "I didn't think we'd get anyone up on it today. The kids are all too short for it."

"Well, maybe you want to climb with Beckett then," Castle replied nervously. "I don't mind, I can just stay down here on the ground. You know, where it's safe."

"Oh, it's perfectly safe up there Mr. Castle," David chimed in despite Rick glowering at him.

"Right. Perfectly safe. I'm sure it'll be great," Castle replied through gritting teeth.

"Daddy?" Alexis had stood by watching Rick get ready to climb and now she was the one feeling nervous. "Daddy, are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to if you don't want to. It's okay if you're scared."

Castle looked down at her a mix of emotions rising up in him. On the one hand, he wanted to forever be a superhero in her eyes. He didn't want her to see his flaws just yet. He knew one day she'd figure them out, if she hadn't already, but if he could put that off just a while longer, he'd try. On the other hand, she was so perceptive, he wondered if maybe it wasn't better not to lie to her and just come clean. She'd be disappointed, he knew, but at least he could keep his feet on the ground. He looked over at Kate as she finished tying in to the rope. Something about her helped to ease his fear just enough, and he decided to split the difference with Alexis.

He bent down to look at his daughter eye to eye. "Honey, you're right. I am totally scared. I've never told you this before, but I'm really afraid of heights."

"You are?" She looked surprised, and a bit disappointed. "Is that why you made Gram take me on the Ferris wheel at that fair we went to last summer, even though she really didn't want to go?"

"Yes, pumpkin. That's why."

"Oh. Well, it's okay then. You don't have to climb." She looked down at the ground and it actually strengthened his resolve to do what he didn't think he ever would.

"Actually Alexis, I'm going to climb," he said simply.

Her eyes flew up to find his, a look of surprise and hope filling her face. "You are? But you're afraid of heights."

"I know sweetie. And that's exactly why I'm going to do it." He looked up at Kate, noting the look of surprise on her face too. Their eyes locked and the connection that had been building between them strengthened as she made a silent promise to help him and he agreed to let her.

Alexis threw her arms around her father's neck and squeezed tightly. "Daddy, I love you. You're going to be great. Just don't look down."

Castle squeezed her back, his fears overtaking him for a moment, lodging a rock in the pit of his stomach. "Thanks pumpkin, I love you too. And don't worry," he looked again at Kate, "Officer Beckett won't let me fall."

* * *

Castle stood next to Beckett, shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the ladder. "You sure about this?" She asked.

"Too late now," he replied. She turned her head to stare at him until he finally looked back at her. "No, I'm not sure, okay? But let's go anyways." He tried to smile but just couldn't quite seem to get the corners of his lips to curl.

Kate slipped her hand into his and he looked down, surprised to see it there. She squeezed lightly to reassure him. "You were right you know. I'm not going to let you fall."

He nodded and took a deep breath, then placed his right foot on the first rung, just above his knee. He put both hands on the next rung up, just above his head, and pulled. Kate matched him keeping a close eye to make sure he was okay.

Castle breathed out releasing some of the tension that had built up in him. "Okay. That wasn't so bad. Just like climbing a ladder. I can do this."

The first few steps of the ladder were easy and Castle and Beckett climbed silently. But as the beams started to get farther and farther apart they paused to breathe and figure out their plan.

"You okay?" Kate asked.

"So far so good. But this next one is going to be trickier," he replied looking up at the next beam that was at eye level. "Why don't I give you a boost first?"

Castle bent his knee so that Beckett could stand on him to reach the next board more easily. He held on to the beam above with one hand and supported Beckett with the other. Once she had made it up, she sat straddling the beam and reached down to try to help him up too. It was a struggle for them both since she wasn't strong enough to exactly lift him and he didn't have anything to stand on that was high enough to really be of use.

"Maybe I should have boosted you?" Kate said after they'd tried a few different ways to get him up to the next rung.

Castle stood below her, breathing heavily from the exertion. He wasn't out of shape, but he also wasn't a gym rat and this was proving to be fairly challenging. He looked down to see if Alexis was still watching them and was chagrined to discover that the whole group had gathered below. The kids and chaperones were all staring up at them waiting to see what they would do next. "Oh shit," he said under his breath. It was no longer about his fear of heights, now it was about not looking like a fool in front of all those people.

"Castle? What's wrong?" Beckett asked. He looked up at her then looked back down at the group below. Her eyes followed his and she saw everyone looking back up at them. "Castle. Hey Castle, look at me," she said sharply, drawing his attention away from the crowd. His eyes lifted from the onlookers below and rested on hers, the frustration clearly evident in his face. "Don't look down; it's not going to help. We need to concentrate on moving up so focus on that."

"Right. Well, I don't see that happening any time soon do you?" He was getting testy. Kate slid forward on the beam and leaned down to put her hand on his shoulder. He had been looking straight out over the valley annoyed with himself, but her touch brought his focus back to her. "Kate, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I just can't figure out how to get up, so if you can come up with something I'm listening. I'm open to dumb ideas here."

"Well, I have an idea that we haven't tried yet, but I don't know how easy it will be. Are you up for it?"

Castle breathed out hard through his nose, his lips pursed together. "What is it?"

"Well, I think if you can pull yourself up so that your head and arms are on the beam, then you can swing your legs like a pendulum. If you can get them up high enough, I can catch them and pull and you'll just roll on to the beam." She wasn't sure if she had explained it clearly enough but he seemed to be mulling the idea over anyways.

"Okay, well, I got nothing else, so let's give it a try. You'd better back up a bit." Kate slid back on the beam as Castle readied himself to go. "Oh, and Kate?" He said, almost as an afterthought.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry if I kick you in the face." She laughed at his comment, but then realized, that it could actually happen and moved back a little further.

_Shit, maybe I didn't think this through enough. Really Kate, you have to start thinking before speaking,_ she admonished herself in her head.

"Okay, here we go," he was saying and she brought herself back to attention. "One, two, three..." Holding the board above his head, Castle crouched down as far as the distance between the beams would allow, then jumped as high as he could, grunting with the effort. He pulled himself up enough to throw one arm over the beam, then the other. He clung for dear life, his head and arms above the wooden support, his legs dangling below. Slowly he managed to start swinging his legs from side to side, his feet getting higher and higher with each arc, until all of a sudden they stopped and he hung suspended horizontally, Kate clutching his feet.

"Well, don't just hang there Castle, roll onto the beam." She said exasperatedly. He did as he was told and rolled himself over as hard as he could.

_Uh-oh, too much,_ he thought as his body came overtop of the beam, and his feet knocked Kate off.

"Kate!" he yelled, vaguely hearing a cry come up from the crowd below. He managed to right himself enough and turned over his shoulder to see Kate now hanging from the rung, holding on tightly. Even though she wouldn't fall that far if she did let go, her survival instinct had kicked in and wouldn't permit her let go or stop the fear from rising in her.

"Castle!" she called out. He scooted back on the beam to where she hung and reached out to grab her arm.

"Kate, don't let go!" he cried out.

"Castle, pull me up!" He surveyed their positions, him with his back to her sitting up, her dangling from the beam, to try to determine the best way to help her. _Yeah, that might work_. He reached around his body and grabbed on to both her wrists with his hands.

"Kate, when I say three I want you to let go," he instructed.

"What? I'm not letting go Castle."

"Kate, trust me. I'm Apollo," he said referring back to her story.

"What you're lying to me?" she asked incredulous.

"No," now it was his turn to be exasperated, "I mean I won't let you get hurt. Don't be afraid, and just trust me." She looked into his eyes and finally nodded in assent. "Okay, one, two, three..." As Kate let go of the beam, Rick held tight and swung her around him in one fluid motion, pulling her up to land on the beam in front of him. They now sat face to face, inches from each other, breathing heavily. In that moment, they both burst into laughter and leaned forward and hugged each other fiercely.

"Oh my God, Castle!" Kate exclaimed.

"I can't believe that worked!" he said back. "Oh, and I'm so sorry for knocking you off the beam. I did warn you though." They laughed again and Castle brought his hands up to her face, brushing the stray hairs back behind her ears. "Are you okay?"

She caught her breath as he sat stroking her face, their eyes locked yet again. Her hand rested on his thigh and rubbed reassuringly, "I'm fine Castle. Thanks."

"No, it was all you. I wouldn't be sitting here now if it weren't for you."

Finally the noise from the crowd below caught both of their attentions. They looked down to see all the kids jumping up and down and clapping, yelling cheers of congratulations and support. Kate and Rick both looked back up at each other smiling from the sight.

"I guess we'll have to save this for later," she said quietly.

He tried to mask his surprise but it really didn't work, "Um, okay. I guess we better keep going then."

Kate managed to stand awkwardly with Castle's help and grabbed on to the next beam, then reached down to help Castle do the same.

"Okay, this time, I boost you," she said to him. "Then you can reach down and pull me up. Clearly you're capable of that." She laughed at the memory of their crazy acrobatics, bending her knee as far as she could to give him a solid base to stand on.

"Are you sure? I'm not that light," he said, but quickly added, holding up a finger to her lips, "Ah...don't say it." Kate had just started to make a joke about him being _solid_, but quickly closed her mouth and smiled sheepishly. "That's better."

Castle managed to climb up on Kate's leg and hoist himself up on the next beam with only a moderate amount of awkwardness.

"Wow. Graceful," Kate said looking up at him teasingly.

"I could leave you down there, woman," he said in mock seriousness. "Now say you're sorry and I'll help you up." His tone changed to that of a father talking to his child. Kate looked up laughing. He really was quite ridiculous at times.

"Castle, I apologize for slighting your obvious grace and strength and I ask that you please do me the honor of assisting me," she replied.

"Sass. Now you're sassing me. If you weren't so cute doing it, I'd leave you down there." Castle reached down and pulled Kate up onto the beam safely, avoiding the acrobatic flare from their previous efforts.

They both got to standing and looked up.

"One more beam to go," Kate said looking over at him. "You ready?"

"Let's do this." Castle had no idea where his confidence was coming from but he wasn't going to second guess it now.

They repeated the process from the last assent, this time with less awkwardness. As they stood on the top beam holding the cable above, wide smiles spread across both their faces. They stared into each other's eyes with the greatest sense of achievement that either of them had felt for a very long time. Kate turned and let go of the cable and wrapped both her arms tightly around Castle's neck. Not wanting them to fall, Castle held on to the cable with one hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. They held each other tightly exchanging words of gratitude and support.

"Kate, that was so amazing. Thank you for making me do this. You were incredible."

"No Castle it was all you, the way you swung me up after I fell, your courage to take this on even though you were scared, how you fought through your frustrations and fears just to show your daughter that it's okay to be afraid but still take risks. You're incredible."

They pulled back enough to see the shared look of accomplishment and relief that they were both wearing. "God I want to kiss you right now," Castle admitted staring into her eyes. She smiled back at him, sharing his sentiment. Their attention was finally stolen by the sounds of the crowd below. They looked down and Kate waved at the group, while Rick gave a big thumb's up sign.

Tracy and David called up with instructions so they could lower them back down to the ground. Kate knew that sitting back in the harnesses and trusting that the ropes would hold their weight was actually the hardest part of any climb, so she watched Rick carefully to make sure that he was okay. He finally managed to let go of the cable above and give his weight over to the harness, with more than a little trepidation, when Kate reached over and grabbed his hand. They rode to the ground that way, staring at each other nervously, excitedly and passionately. As their feet finally touched the ground, they were broken apart by the kids swarming around them. Alexis gave her dad the biggest hug he thought he had ever gotten from her and told him over and over how proud she was of him. Kate got hugs from all the girls and high fives from some of the boys, all of whom were so in awe of her.

Finally the crowd broke up enough that Kate and Rick were able to take off the safety gear they had been wearing. They handed it over to David and Tracy and thanked them for their part in getting them to the top of the climb. Then they turned to follow the rest of the group who were now heading back to camp for some free time, then dinner. Rick suddenly realized he was famished.

Just as they arrived at the edge of the trees, the rest of the group all well ahead of them, Castle reached over and grabbed Beckett's arm, stopping her mid-stride. "Kate, I..." Castle started but suddenly, the emotion that had built up in him through their climb together, got the better of him. He stared into her eyes, searching for the right words to express what he was feeling.

Kate moved in closer and put her hand on his shoulder, "I know Castle, I know."

"No," he shook his head, frustrated with himself and his inability to find the words, he was a writer after all. "No, it's not enough. Kate, you have no idea what you did for me back there."

Beckett nodded knowingly, "Castle, I think I do. You helped me back there too, and with the trust falls this morning. If anything I owe you."

But Castle shook his head silently, his brow furrowed. "Kate..."

Beckett moved in closer still, now resting both hands on his shoulders. She smiled up at him, sliding her fingers to the back of his neck so she could draw him in to her. He leaned down gently, almost hesitant, not wanting to overpower her with the mass of emotions he was feeling right then.

Their lips finally connected with a spark and they both surrendered to each other's arms, pressing more firmly with each passing moment. The intensity grew as they gave in to all of the fear and relief and desire that had built up between them, their kiss deepening. Their lips moved more quickly, parting slightly to allow their tongues to dance lightly together, as they lost all sense of time and space. Kate's fingers played in Castle's hair adding enough pressure to ensure that their kiss continued unbroken. Castle's hands groped at her waist and up and down her back keeping their bodies firmly pressed together. Finally as the fierceness of their passion began to subside, the kiss slowed to a languid, tender touch held softly until they could finally release their connection.

Kate's eyes opened first taking in his strong features as they stood, foreheads touching, raspy breath coming in short quick bursts. Rick's eyes finally opened as well and he lifted his lips to gently kiss the tip of her nose. "Wow," he whispered softly as Kate smiled.

"So, um, maybe we should head back?" Kate stammered softly not really wanting to release him just yet.

Rick pulled her close again and nuzzled his face down into the crook of her neck, holding her tightly, breathing in the smell of cherries in her hair. She returned his embrace, thankful that he didn't want to let go just yet either.

They finally released the strength of their hold on each other and straightened up, though they were still in each other's arms. Castle smiled down at her and opened his mouth to speak, when in the trees to his left, he heard the snap of a twig. They both turned sharply at the sound searching to see where it had come from. Kate had yet to see anything when she heard Castle whisper under his breath, "Shit. Anita..."

* * *

**I'm so sorry! I know you all hate Anita and I didn't want to finish with her, but I just had to! It was too delicious not to :) Hope you can forgive me...[insert maniacal laugh here]**


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Wow, what a writing marathon! I'm barely coming up for air but I'm totally loving it! No distractions, no interruptions, just good food, a fireplace, and my laptop! What a great way to write :) This chapter is a collection of a lot of little scenes. Just setting the stage for the big finale! **

**Thank you so much for the reviews! Some of the nicest things people have ever said to me have come through those reviews so keep 'em coming :)**

**Disclaimer: Castle = Love. Castle ≠ Mine. :(**

* * *

Rick looked at Kate as they both let their hands fall to their sides, taking a step back from each other, guilty expressions caught on their faces. "I guess there's no sense asking you to hide?" Castle asked, trying to be funny, but concern etched on his face.

"Maybe she didn't see anything?" Kate asked nervously. Rick looked back at Anita but he could tell from the look in her eyes, even from this distance, that she definitely had. She may not have been there the whole time, but he figured that she had seen enough to know what they were doing.

"No such luck," he replied quietly.

"Rick? Officer Beckett?" Anita walked up to them hesitantly.

"Hey Anita," Rick tried to sound more nonchalant than he felt. "Everything okay?"

"I um, I just left my sweater..." her voice trailed off as the disappointment she was feeling started to break through. "I'll, um, just go get it. Sorry to interrupt." She lowered her eyes as she passed by the couple and walked back into the clearing.

Rick looked at Kate, pity mixed with guilt filling his face.

"Rick did you see her face? What was that about?" Kate was confused by the strong reaction that she had just witnessed. She couldn't figure out why Anita was so upset by them getting together. She knew Anita was interested in Rick but really, it wasn't like she'd really invested anything in it, or had she?

"I, um..." Rick's voice trailed off and the guilt on his face gave Kate cause for concern.

"Castle, did you...? Did you and Anita...? Oh my God, did something happen between you two?" The worry rose to her voice. And even though Anita was too far away now, Kate was whispering so that she wouldn't hear them.

"What? No, Kate. No, nothing happened, nothing like that anyways. Really? You think I would...with _Anita_? _Seriously_?"

"Well, then why is she so upset? She must have a reason."

Castle quickly explained his conversation with Anita from the night before, telling her how he had tried to let her down gently but that she'd taken it hard. He also mentioned that he may have used the kids as the excuse for not wanting to be anything more than friends.

"Castle, you said that?" Kate asked in disbelief.

"Well, I started to say that I just wasn't interested, but she looked so upset, so I just said it to soften the blow. I didn't know that you and I would...you know...and I certainly didn't know that she would catch us." Castle felt terrible now for the whole thing. Well, not for kissing Kate, for that he was definitely not sorry. But for the whole situation with Anita, he did feel bad.

"Castle, I think you better talk to her," Kate replied softly to him, her eyes looking with sympathy at Anita who had just found her sweater. "I'll go back to the camp and make sure everyone is behaving."

"Wait, you're going to leave me here alone with her? Kate, no, don't go," Castle pleaded with her like a child.

"Castle the last person she's going to want to have to see right now is me. You need to fix this. I'm sure you'll be just fine. I'll see you when you get back. Meet me at the fire pit." Without any more discussion, Kate squeezed his arm reassuringly and then walked off into the woods.

"Beckett!" he called after her in a loud whisper, one last attempt to get her to stay. Castle stood rooted to the ground. When Kate didn't turn, he looked up at the sky and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and issuing a silent prayer for strength and guidance. Then he turned and walked over to join Anita.

"Hey did you find your sweater?" he asked as he approached her.

"Yes." She replied shortly.

"Anita, look, about earlier..." Anita turned to face him abruptly, a look of anger rising behind her eyes.

"Oh, that's okay Rick, you don't have to explain. We're all just here for the kids, right? I'm sure you and Officer Beckett were doing a great job of watching over the kids back there."

"Hey, that's not fair," he protested, though in a way he knew she was right.

"Not fair? Rick you made me believe that you thought it was inappropriate to get together because we were here for the school trip, for the kids. You made me believe that in another time and place that maybe we could..." her voice faltered as her frustration peaked.

"Wait, now, Anita, I never said in another time or place that we could get together. That may have been what you heard but it's definitely not what I said." This was not going well at all.

"No, you're right Rick, you never said those exact words. But you also didn't just tell me the truth. I knew there was something going on between you two when I walked in on you in the hallway. So why didn't you just tell me the truth at the campfire? Why did you have to make it sound like you were such a martyr, sacrificing your happiness for the sake of your kid? Humph, please." Anita's emotions were really starting to run away with her. The veins in her neck were pulsing through her skin and her eyes had taken on an almost wild appearance. He needed to get this situation under control, and quick, or it was going to end even worse than it was already going.

"Anita, look, please just calm down. Please take a breath, let me explain."

"Why? Why should I? You'll just lie again." _Eek, those veins are seriously going to burst through her neck._

"No, look, I'll tell you the whole truth okay? Just please calm down," _Seriously, please calm down. Don't be going all Kathy Bates on me._

Anita finally took a pause from her ranting but her breath was still ragged and quick. "Fine. Explain."

"Okay, look, when you walked in on Kate and I – "

"Kate? Oh, it's _Kate_ is it?" She challenged.

"Anita, please let me finish." She relented a little and allowed him to continue. "When you walked in on Kate and I in the hallway, nothing had happened. It was exactly as we said, we bumped into each other and she fell. I helped pick her up. That's it, nothing more." Anita still looked like she didn't believe him, but he continued anyway. "Then, at the campfire, I just didn't want to hurt your feelings. I'm really sorry Anita, but I'm just not interested in you that way. So I told you that I wanted to focus on the kids, which I did – I do." He knew there was more to say but he just didn't quite know how to phrase it.

"Really, so now you can focus on the kids and on _Kate_ and there's no conflict there?"

"Well, no, I'm sure there's a conflict there somewhere, I can't say there isn't. But, well, we've had a really big day today. First with the trust falls, then with the partner climb. It was all really quite emotional." He looked down to see if his words were helping at all. He was really worried they weren't but looking at her face he realized that Anita's anger seemed to be dissipating. "I'm really sorry for the confusion Anita. I didn't handle it so well, but I really wasn't trying to hurt you. Just the opposite in fact. And I didn't plan for anything to happen with Kate."

"So you're saying that what I just walked in on was really just because of all the powerful emotions you two were feeling after your climb?" Rick nodded his head vigorously. "And that it was just an impulse, a reaction to the emotion, but not really anything real." He stopped nodding his head, his voice caught in his throat. She was trying to get him to admit that he'd let his feelings from the climb run away with him but that he really wasn't interested in Beckett otherwise. He could agree with her statement and move on, and just tell Kate they'd have to be more careful, or...

"No Anita, I'm not going to lie to you. I'm sorry but that's not all there is to it. I don't know if I can quite put it into words but there is definitely something more between Kate and I than just the climbing."

"You're attracted to her. You like her." Anita sounded deflated. She was slowly accepting that he wasn't interested in her and was also now digesting his confession that he _was_ interested in Kate. It was a lot to take in but he said he wouldn't lie to her again and he wouldn't, no matter how hard it might be.

"She's pretty remarkable," he stated simply, admitting to her assumptions, without rubbing salt in her wounds.

"Yes," Anita replied quietly. _Guess there's a first time for everything_. "Well, I guess you're pretty lucky then."

Rick smiled down at her, agreeing. _Ugh, thank god that's over._

* * *

Kate arrived back at the campsite to find most of the students had returned to their tents for some rest after the challenging activities of the afternoon. Apparently they were drained both physically and mentally. She was happy to join Miss Travers at the fire pit to relax a bit herself.  
"Mind if I join you, Miss Travers?" Kate asked standing by the empty chair next to the young teacher.

"Sure, that would be nice. But please call me Liz. So, how are you feeling after your climb? You two did an amazing job up there."

"Oh thanks. I'm feeling pretty good...still a bit shaky from the adrenaline. I don't think I could have done it without Rick though. He was great."

"Speaking of Rick, where is he? Weren't you two together?" Liz looked around Kate to see if Rick was trailing behind.

"Oh, actually Anita came back as we were leaving to look for her sweater. Rick stayed to help her find it." Kate answered hoping that was what Liz had meant by _together_.

"Really? You left him alone with her?" Liz asked with more than a hint of amusement.

"Um, yeah, why?" Kate asked confused.

"Well, on the hike yesterday I got the impression he wasn't too keen to spend any time alone with her."

Kate didn't want to laugh at Anita's expense, especially given the conversation she was enduring with Rick right now, but she couldn't help it. "She can be a bit too...enthusiastic...sometimes, I guess."

Liz giggled back knowingly, "I couldn't have put it better myself."

They sat in silence for a few more moments just enjoying the fresh air and the peace and quiet and the slowly setting sun. Kate looked around as one of the boys walked quietly from his tent towards the washroom. As he walked past them, her eye was drawn to the parking lot where something seemed out of place. Her car was still there where she had left it, but...

"Liz, where's the bus?"

Liz looked up from her reverie, "Oh, Don had to go into town to pick up a few things. He'll be back in a bit, probably before dinner." Kate nodded silently. "Speaking of dinner, I better go and see Madge to make sure we're on track for our meal." She stood up to leave but paused. "Officer Beckett?"

"Kate, please," Kate replied.

"Kate, thanks for being here this week with us. The kids are really loving having you here. You're really inspiring them I think."

Kate looked up at her moved by the thought that she was having an impact on the students. "Liz, it's been my pleasure."

* * *

Kate rested comfortably in the Adirondack chair as the fire crackled happily in front of her. She had just closed her eyes when a small voice spoke from beside her.

"Officer Beckett?" Kate opened her eyes to find Alexis standing next to her, a hesitant smile on her lips.

"Oh, hi Alexis. How are you?" Kate smiled back at the little girl comfortably. She had actually never really been good with kids, but something about this one just drew her in.

"I'm fine, thank you. I'm not bothering you, am I? I could come back later if you want to rest." Alexis looked at Kate expectantly, and Kate could tell that she wanted to talk about something. Kate wondered if the girl was actually so perceptive as to have noticed something between her and Rick.

"No, you're not bothering me at all. Why don't you sit down and enjoy the fire with me." Kate reached over and pulled another chair right up next to the one she was sitting in so they could talk. "Did you have fun today?"

"Oh yes, I did. It was really exciting. Scary, but exciting."

"That's a good way to put it Alexis. I felt exactly the same way."

"You did? But I thought you weren't afraid of climbing?" Alexis looked at her in wonder.

"You're right, I wasn't afraid of the climbing, it was a lot of fun. But I was really nervous about the trust falls this morning. And I was totally scared when your dad knocked me off that beam."

"But you said that it doesn't hurt when you fall. Why were you so afraid?" The innocence of Alexis' questions was truly heartwarming. Even though she seemed brave and mature on the outside, Kate could see that she was still just a little girl trying to figure life out. _Me too, kid._

"Well, I guess when something unexpected like that happens, you just react instinctively. Even though I know that I wouldn't have fallen far or gotten hurt, at the time all I could think was 'just don't let go.' Does that make sense?"

"Yeah, I guess it does," Alexis sat thoughtfully for a few moments and Kate sat contented to wait her out. "You and my dad really worked well together. Thanks for making him go up there today. I think it was good for him."

Kate stifled a small laugh at Alexis' choice of words. She sounded more like his parent than his daughter. "Yeah we did work well together didn't we? Well, except for when he knocked me off the beam." They both laughed at the recollection. "Why do you say it was good for him?" She was curious to learn more about the real Richard Castle instead of what she thought she knew about him from the newspapers. She didn't want to press too far, though. Using his daughter for information was not how she wanted their relationship to start, but Alexis brought it up.

"Well, I think he's a little bit bored right now," Alexis said simply not expanding.

"Bored? How can he be bored? He's a famous writer, he gets to go to all those parties, I can't imagine he'd be bored."

"Well he has to go to all those parties because of his job. He used to like getting all dressed up and going out, but lately, he just doesn't seem to like it anymore. And he's having a hard time finding a new idea to write about. Every day I come home from school there are a ton of wadded up paper balls on the floor near his garbage can in his office. I looked at them once and they were story ideas, not very good ones." Kate started to get a little uncomfortable with the information Alexis was sharing. She wasn't so sure that Rick would really want her knowing all of this. But Alexis was going somewhere with it and she wanted to see where.

"Hmm, well I've heard that authors sometimes get writer's block. I'm sure he's had it before. He just needs something to inspire him I guess."

Alexis looked over nodding her head in agreement. "That's exactly what I was thinking." She paused. Kate could see that she wanted to say more but was battling something in her head. She wanted to ask Alexis what she was thinking about but somehow she knew to just wait her out, that she would speak when she was ready. Eventually she continued, "I think maybe he's found it, his inspiration."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh."

"How do you know?" Kate asked wondering what the girl was talking about.

"Well, I think he's found it here at camp. He's changed since we got here. I can't remember the last time he looked so happy. He's been smiling so much, and then he climbed that ladder with you. I think I always kinda knew that he was afraid of heights but he never told me before. And it was really cool that you got him to go up there. He didn't want to but you made him even though you knew he was afraid. And then you went with him to help him. And then when you came down he was so excited, and I was so proud of him for doing it." She was talking a mile a minute now just trying to get everything out before she changed her mind. Kate just nodded trying to keep up with her. "So, I was thinking about what made him so happy and I don't think it was the climbing Officer Beckett. I think that was part of it, but I think there's more. It wasn't just after he climbed that he was different, it was before that. I saw it at dinner last night, and then at the campfire when he was telling his ghost story. And at breakfast this morning, every time I looked at him he couldn't stop smiling and, Officer Beckett?"

"Yes Alexis?"

"I think his inspiration is you."

"Hello ladies," Rick came up from out of nowhere and stood directly in front of them. Kate's jaw had just about hit the ground from Alexis' revelation and she was completely speechless. Alexis looked like she had just committed treason and wished she could hide somewhere. Rick was completely confused. "Um, did I interrupt something?"

Kate could only stammer out nonsensical single syllables that were somehow catching in her throat. She turned to look at Alexis in shock, but the girl just looked back at her innocently. "Hi Daddy. Where've you been?" Kate had to give her credit, the kid was truly fearless. She totally just dropped a bomb on Kate and then turned around and acted like it had never happened. Maybe she didn't really realize the significance of what she had just said.

"Hi sweetie," he said in response but his eyes never left Kate's face. "I was just helping Ms. Penn find her sweater. She left it behind at the adventure park. What are you two talking about?"

"Oh nothing Daddy. Just girl talk," Alexis was a master and Kate was truly in awe. She couldn't managed to bring her thoughts back into focus long enough to come up with even a mediocre response. _Damn, Kate, get it together._

Rick looked at them nervously, "Oh, well, I hope everything's okay." He was still looking at Kate as she struggled to compose herself.

"Um, yes, everything is fine. Just girl talk," she managed to eek out.

"Okay, well, do you mind if I join you two? Or are dads strictly prohibited from girl talk?" Alexis stared at him like he was the silliest man in the world.

"Daddy, of course boys are prohibited from girl talk." He looked down at her surprised, and more than a little disappointed. "But you can sit anyways. We can talk more later." Alexis looked over at Kate and smiled sheepishly, her eyebrows slightly raised in question of whether what she had just said would be okay with Kate. Kate steadied herself realizing that this was just the beginning of a bigger conversation that Alexis really wanted to have with her and she knew that if she and Rick continued as they were, it would come at some point anyways. She rallied herself and managed to smile down at Alexis, hopefully reassuring her.

"Yes Alexis, we can definitely talk more later."

Rick looked back and forth between the two girls still confused before pulling over another chair to join them. He had just sat down and managed to get comfortable when a voice called across the field to them.

"Officer Beckett? You have a phone call." Liz was waving from the residence building to get their attention.

Kate looked at Alexis, then Rick and smiled apologetically, "Sorry kids, looks like duty calls. I'll see you later." And with that, she stood and walked away, completely relieved to have been given an easy way out. For now anyways. She knew that conversations with both Rick and with Alexis would happen sooner than later, but she really needed a few minutes to compose herself and figure out what she was going to say to each of them. She wondered if Alexis would tell her father anything about their conversation. She assumed not.

She assumed right. Just as Kate walked away, Alexis stood up too, anxious to get away from the grilling she knew her father would start as soon as Kate was out of earshot. "I'm really tired Daddy," she leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, preventing him from even getting started asking her questions. "I'm going to go take a nap. See you at dinner?"

"Sure thing pumpkin. Sweet dreams." Rick sat suddenly alone and completely confused. _What just happened? What were they talking about?_ He could tell by the look on Kate's face when he arrived that Alexis had just said something that shocked her. He couldn't tell if she was upset by whatever it was but he definitely wanted to find out more. He would just have to wait until dinner to ask her about it. He knew Alexis well enough to know that that she wouldn't tell him anything until she was ready to. But, maybe he could get something out of Kate. Maybe if he begged.

* * *

Kate arrived in the teacher's lounge and picked up the handset that lay on the side table waiting for her.

"Beckett," she said into the receiver.

"Officer Beckett, it's Montgomery. How's your vacation going?"

"Sir? Um, well," _Why is Montgomery checking up on me? _Kate was rattled again. Twice in such a short time was really playing with her nerves. She took a deep breath to steady herself. "I, uh, it's okay, sir. Actually it's pretty good."

"Really? I thought you didn't like camping?" Montgomery sounded genuinely surprised. He figured she'd be tearing her hair out by this point, eager to get back to the city, to the case.

"What? Oh, well I don't really, but we're not really camping. I mean the kids are, they're staying in tents, but the chaperones are staying in a dorm building."

"Ah, all the comforts of home then?"

"Well, not exactly, but it's okay. The program has been really good so far. The kids seem to be liking it and it's actually been pretty fun."

"Well good then. And the other chaperones aren't getting on your nerves too much?" He chuckled in the background.

"No, they're okay. There's someone famous here you know."

"Famous? Really? Who?" Montgomery's interest seemed peaked.

"Richard Castle, the mystery writer." She smiled just thinking about him.

"You mean the guy who's always on page six of the Ledger Society section? What's he doing there?"

"His daughter is one of the students and he signed up to be a chaperone too," Kate explained, trying not to sound too interested. She did not want Montgomery getting any ideas.

"Really? Doesn't seem to fit his character, at least what they say about him in the paper."

"No, actually, he's nothing like that at all. He's actually kind of...interesting." She realized she was starting to get into dangerous territory. Montgomery was a detective and he could tell when she was hiding something from him. This could get uncomfortable really quick. _Kate, what happened to thinking before speaking?_

"_How_ interesting?" Montgomery's voice was laced with innuendo. _Dammit Kate, nicely done._ She'd never hear the end of it. _Must change the subject._

"Sir, did you call me just to chat or was there something you needed to tell me?"

"Oh, right. We've got a problem."

"Sir? What's going on?"

"You remember that guy we were looking for that was sprung from Otisville right before our vic was killed? Well, we narrowed it down, his name is Frankie Johnson. He was doing ten-to-twelve for a bank heist. He was the getaway driver and claimed he thought he was just picking up his friend from work. Turns out when he was arrested, he was married. To our vic."

"What? Really?" Kate's mind was spinning trying to work through the new details.

"Yeah, and now we can't find him."

"He just vanished?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, but not before killing his ex-wife." Montgomery dropped the bomb on her and almost left her speechless. "ME came back with some DNA found at the crime scene. I guess when he stabbed her, his hand must have slipped on the knife and cut him. They matched the blood to Johnson's. He's our guy."

"Well, at least we have some news for the family. Any leads on where he might be?"

"There's one lead Kate. That's why I called you."

"Sir? I don't know what I can do from here."

"Beckett, it turns out that when Johnson was arrested, his wife, our vic, was pregnant."

"He's got a kid?" she asked suddenly, the hair on the back of her neck prickling.

"Yeah, kind of. When he was arrested his wife decided that she couldn't raise the kid alone and she probably didn't want him involved, so she gave the baby up for adoption. He never even saw her."

"A girl? He has a daughter?" Kate's wheels were spinning again trying to piece things together even though she didn't have all the facts yet.

"We tracked her down to a family in upstate New York. We think Johnson went up there after he killed his ex-wife to try to find her. But Kate, she's not there anymore. Her family moved to New York City recently. We found them in Lower Manhattan. Actually, they found us really. Their apartment was broken into yesterday. Things were rifled through but nothing was taken. We think it was Johnson looking for clues about his daughter."

"Sir, this is all really useful information but I can't do anything from here. Should I come back to the city to help with the investigation?" Kate was confused about why he was really calling.

"No Beckett, you need to stay there. It turns out she is a student at Marlowe Prep. She's there on the trip with you Kate. Her name is..."

"Paige." Kate finished his sentence, all of the pieces finally falling into place.

"You know her then?" He asked.

"Yes, she's friends with Castle's daughter. She's a sweet kid." Kate's mind was reeling from the new information. "Sir, what should I do? Are you sending out some units to get her? Should I bring her home?"

"No, not yet. We don't even know if Johnson has figured out where she is. Paige's parents don't think there was anything lying around that would've given him any clues. I think maybe keeping her there with you is the safest thing for her right now. And hopefully we can catch this guy before she ever has to know what's going on."

"Sir?" Kate hesitated at what she was about to say. It was bordering on insubordination but she couldn't in good conscience keep quiet. "Sir, do you really think that's such a good idea? I mean we're taking an awfully big gamble with her life. If Johnson did figure out where she is, he could be on his way here right now."

"I know Kate, but we're reasonably sure that he doesn't know where she is. There's nothing on the school website saying where you are and her parents are sure that they didn't have anything around the apartment that would give it away. The trip is over the day after tomorrow and by then we're confident we can track this dirt bag down. He's going to slip up Beckett. We'll find him."

"Okay sir. Well, if you're sure. Should I tell the other chaperones about what's going on?" She really didn't want to involve them if she didn't have to. There was no need to worry anyone just yet.

"No, hold off for now Beckett. I'll be in touch with you again tomorrow and let you know where we're at."

"Okay sir. I'll make sure I keep a close eye on her just in case."

"Good. And Beckett?"

"Sir?"

"Try not to let this spoil your good time." Kate could almost hear him winking as he hung up the phone.

* * *

**Montgomery is back! Love that guy!**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Talk about in the zone! Here's the next chapter...a little fluff for your Saturday night (assuming you're in the Western Hemisphere that is!). And okay, who am I kidding, it's a lot of fluff, steamy fluff. I was wondering if maybe it's too much? But then I thought, nah, it's Valentine's and you can never have too much fluff on Valentine's :)**

**I had a little trouble with this one and the timeline of events. I kept changing my mind of how I wanted it to go so things were starting to get a little jumbled on the page. I hope my editing skills were up to the task and that I caught everything so it makes sense. If not, remember, I'm no Andrew Marlowe :) **

**Hope you enjoy it. And as always, thank you all so much for your reviews. I really love hearing from you.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. I wish I did, because then I'd already know what's going to happen in the upcoming two-parter. I've avoided watching the previews for Monday as best I can (as I always do - hate to ruin the surprise), but between Molly's tweets and TV Guide articles, and various other websites that I've tried really really hard to avoid, I've pieced enough together to know I'm scared. I have no idea what exactly will happen or how it will all end, but literally I'm scared. Marlowe, mad respect, but you're killing me here!**

* * *

"We've got a lead." Kate stood in the lounge after dinner listening to the update from Montgomery.

"Where is he?" She asked, the tension easing slightly in her shoulders.

"We think he's gone to Hartford." Montgomery replied.

"Hartford? Connecticut? What's in Hartford?"

"Grandma," he stated simply but continued after a moment of silence on the other end. "Paige's grandmother lives in Hartford. Tom Davis, Paige's dad, called to say that they had found a note in Paige's bedroom from her grandmother inviting her to come for a visit this week. They said Paige hadn't been too sure about going on the school trip since she didn't really know anyone, being new and all, and the grandmother had offered for her to go to Hartford while her classmates were all away. But at the last minute, Paige's parents convinced her to go on the school trip instead."

"How do we know that Johnson saw the note?" Kate asked, not yet convinced.

"When their apartment was broken into, Davis said that only the things in his study and in Paige's room had been moved around. They thought it was strange at the time but with the information we gave them about her birth father, he said the pieces started to fall into place. When they went to look around her room again, they found the note right on top of the other papers and made the connection. They called us right away, just after I talked to you this afternoon and we've been running it down ever since."

"Okay, well, it's a start, but it doesn't mean that he saw it," Kate challenged back.

"No, but this does," Montgomery added. "A one-way ticket to Hartford was purchased yesterday afternoon at the bus station at the last minute. Bus driver remembers it because he had just started to pull away when the guy came running up with his ticket. He said the guy thanked him over and over, claiming he was going to see his daughter in Hartford for her birthday and she would have killed him if he'd missed the bus. Ticket was registered to a Juan Herrera."

"Who's Juan Herrera?" Kate asked confused.

"Johnson's cellmate at Otisville, but he's still locked up. And the bus driver ID-ed Johnson's mug shot as the guy he let on the bus."

"So what's the plan?" Kate asked wishing she had been there to help find the lead. Suddenly an image of Castle's face as they stood at the top of the partner climb, high above the world, popped in to her head and she paused. If she had been there helping with the case she never would have met him. She shook her head. Kate wasn't a big believer in fate, but something in the back of her head told her that she was right where she was supposed to be. She put the thoughts aside to deal with later.

"We've got local police in Hartford staking out grandma's place, and they've moved her to a secure location, to be safe. I'm sending Taylor and Ramsey out there to stay on top of things. I think you should be out of harm's way where you are but stay alert, just in case. We've alerted the local and state police in your area and they're going to keep an eye out as a precaution. They'll probably stop in to the camp tomorrow to check things out."

"Right, got it sir." Just then Kate noticed some movement in the hallway just outside the teacher's lounge. She looked up to find Castle standing in the doorway, his body leaning casually against the frame, a playful smile on his face. She smiled back and spoke into the phone, not taking her eyes off him. "Anything else sir?"

"No that's it Beckett. I'll be in touch if anything else develops."

"Got it. Thanks for the update." Montgomery clicked off the other end and Beckett slowly placed the receiver back down on the base on the table. Her hand rested lightly for a moment, as she stood considering the information she'd just received. She was feeling a bit more at ease about the Paige situation, but was still wary. Until they had the guy locked up, she wasn't going to take any chances.

"Hey there," Castle said watching her mull over the facts in her head. "Everything okay?"

"Hey," she replied back. "That was my boss, just updating me on the case again." Montgomery had told her not to say anything to the other chaperones and now she knew it had been a good decision, even though earlier she wasn't so sure. Now that she had more information she definitely didn't see the need to get everyone worked up over the situation, when it was likely that they wouldn't have any problems, and she'd been keeping a very close eye on Paige. The girl would have to learn about everything sooner or later, but unless she had to, Kate figured it was better for her parents to tell her. Kate realized that she didn't even know if Paige knew she'd been adopted. That was definitely not a bombshell she wanted to tell the kid.

She was surprised though by how difficult it had been not to talk about it. At the precinct she would have been able to talk it over with the other detectives and officers, to stare at the murder board trying to put the pieces together. But out here, she didn't have that option. She'd almost told Castle everything at dinner that night.

* * *

_"Kate are you okay? You seem a bit...on edge." Castle whispered to her, not wanting anyone else to hear their conversation. It was bad enough that Anita kept pretending like she wasn't staring at them, he really didn't want any one else finding out about them either. At least not until he had a better idea of where they were headed._

_"Hmm?" She asked him distractedly as she played with her dinner and stared around the room at the kids._

_"Kate?" He wanted to reach over and touch her arm but was afraid of how it might look to outside eyes. He used his tone of voice and hoped that staring at her would bring her out of her reverie._

_"Castle, stop staring at me. It's creepy." She said without looking at him. _Ooo, she's got some serious Jedi skills,_ he thought. _Cool.

_"Sorry. You're just..." his voice trailed off as he tried to figure out exactly what she was. She was different that was for sure. After she had talked with Alexis and then gotten that phone call, now she was different. He hoped that she wasn't changing her mind about them._

_"Was it Alexis? What did she say to you?" Kate continued scanning the room, not looking at him. Her thoughts flew to the bomb little Alexis had dropped on her earlier but she really did not want to get into that conversation here._

_"Can we talk about that later?" She asked still distracted._

_"So that's it. My kid said something to you and now you're upset. What was it? What did she say? Should I be worried? Obviously I should be worried, look how distracted you are. You can't even look at me. Kate, don't leave me hanging like this. Kate, talk to me,_ please?_" Castle was getting insistent, talking almost as fast as Alexis had when she was nervous._

_"Castle, calm down," she finally took her eyes off the crowd and looked at him, smiling. "Alexis didn't say anything. Well, she did, but it's okay, I think. It's just not a conversation for this moment. Can we talk about it later? Besides, that's not what's bothering me." She looked away from him again, her eyes settling on Paige who was sitting next to Alexis. She had to be careful how much she said even though she wanted to tell him everything._

_"That's not what's bothering you? So, the phone call you got, was it bad news?"_

_Her eyes snapped back to his, a look of tension increasing on her face. She really wished he would just drop it, but looking into his eyes she could see that he wasn't going to let go. "It was just work. I left in the middle of a case and my boss was just letting me know what was happening. It's nothing." She tried to sound as nonchalant as she could, but he narrowed his eyes at her, like he was looking into her soul. Castle searched her face to determine if she really was telling him the truth. He felt like he could believe her, but whatever it was clearly it was affecting her._

_"It's obviously not nothing. I can see it in your eyes, and your shoulders are all tense. And that crease in your forehead is deeper like when you were worried about the trust falls. Why don't you tell me about it? Maybe I can help." How did he know her tells so well already? How was he able to read her after such a short amount of time together._

_"Help?" she asked, almost incredulous._

_"Well, I am a mystery writer, he said defending his offer. I spend my days figuring out how to kill people, maybe I can help figure out how _someone else_ did it." She considered his suggestion. It actually made some sense though she wasn't likely going to admit that to him. But maybe he would be a good sounding board for all of the ideas floating around in her head._

_He watched as she mulled the idea over. He saw her working through a myriad of emotions – worry, trust, hope – but she finally settled on resolve. "Sorry, Castle, I can't talk about it. It's an ongoing police investigation."_

_"Oh, okay," he was definitely disappointed, but he did understand. "Well, I'm here, if you change your mind." She felt a pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach as she watched him deflate right there in front of her. He was just trying to help and had looked so eager to hear the details of the case, but her sense of duty had stepped in and taken over her thought process. _

_Things had cooled a little between them after that. They had said very little to each other for the rest of the meal, and afterwards, Castle had gone off to hang out with Alexis for a bit, leaving Kate on her own. Kate was worried that she had done irreparable harm to their newly budding romance. But as much as she wanted to, she couldn't get her mind off the case and so she pushed her thoughts of Castle as far back as she could. She thought she could deal with that later but images his face kept annoyingly popping to the forefront of her mind every time she tried to work through some detail of the investigation. He was quite the distraction._

* * *

"An update on the case?" Castle asked, his face gaining a measure of seriousness. "Well, I'll leave you to it then." He turned and started to walk away.

"Castle, wait," she started towards the door after him. As she approached the door, he stuck his head back in.

"Yes?" He suddenly seemed hopeful. She was calling him back, that was a good sign.

"Castle, I'm sorry about earlier. This case has been weighing on me and I'm not very good at...sharing." She looked up hoping her feeble attempt at an apology would be enough for him.

He regarded her with relief, "No, it's okay. I shouldn't have pressed you about the case. It's really none of my business. I get it. I'm sorry if I pushed. Again." He thought back to the day before when he had pushed her about her reasons for being at the camp with them and realized he wasn't doing a very good job of learning from his mistakes.

She laughed lightly at his apology. "So, then, to summarize, we're both sorry and we're both forgiven?" He laughed remembering just the day before when he had said those exact same words to her after their previous miscommunication.

"Yes, that sounds about right," he said throwing her words back at her. "Now, if you're interested, I hear there's a roaring campfire outside. I'm sure there's all kinds of things going on that will distract you for a while. You look like you could use the break."

Kate puffed a breath out of her mouth trying to push away the hair framing her face. "Do I look that bad?" She asked almost to herself.

Rick moved in closer to her putting his hands on her waist. He knew everyone was already out at the campfire so no chance of getting caught again. "You look beautiful."

The sincerity of his tone made Kate's heart skip a beat and her breath caught in her throat. She chewed lightly on her bottom lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes, the hint of a smile curling the corners of her mouth. Castle let out a very small gasp as he used his fingers to lightly brush the hair away from her eyes, revealing more of her loveliness. Then they trailed down gently along the sides of her face and while his right hand settled on her chin, raising her face ever so slightly upwards, his left hand continued lower to trail across her shoulder, down her arm and finally around her back. He moved slowly, not wanting to rush, wanting to savor this moment of quiet and desire. He added just enough pressure to gently pull her towards him, all of his movements slow, steady and strong.

Kate's knees were starting to buckle from the intensity of his hands touching her, the heat rising from his chest as her body finally made contact with his, the strength of his gaze upon her. She put her left hand gently at his waist, then curled it around his back. Her right hand somehow made its way up to land on his chest, her fingers lightly grazing the cotton of his shirt, trailing down lower, then back up again. As they both pulled their breath more quickly, their hearts raced with anticipation. Kate moved her hand up higher to his jaw, curling her fingers around the back of his neck.

Finally Rick leaned in slowly and brushed his lips across hers. Kate melted under the soft pressure and relaxed fully into his body, melding them into one. They continued kissing slowly, tenderly, their hands still touching lightly on each other's bodies. It was the most sensual kiss Kate had ever experienced and it was leaving her breathless.

Her instinct was trying to make her move with more power and speed, to take control. She wanted more of him, wanted to dive into him, but she held back relishing the newness of each touch, feeling every breath on her skin, hearing every heartbeat pounding through her chest, smelling the sweet spice of his cologne mixed with the very essence of him. She moaned slightly as his tongue slid inside her mouth, so softly but with such confidence. Her whole body tingled and she shuddered as a bolt of electricity ran down her spine. They stood together caressing, embracing, kissing each other for a lifetime.

Castle's head was in a fog. A million thoughts flitted in and out, always to be replaced by the warmth of her touch, the softness of her lips and the smell of cherries that he had started to love. It felt to him as though he had known her his whole life, like he had lived this moment before and would again, past, present and future all colliding in one tender moment.

Their kiss continued, though Castle had no idea for how long as he was far too consumed with absorbing every movement of her body, every beat of her heart, every sound of her gentle moaning. After a time he became able to focus only on one thing. Her lips, soft and sensual, matching his movements in a perfect rhythm that made his entire body tingle, his hairs standing on end. He felt waves of electricity course through him with every parting of her perfect lips. He luxuriated in the pressure and intensity that he found at her mouth and he reveled in the realization that in fact they were still kissing. In the back of his mind he heard a faint voice whispering, _don't ever let her go_. And to the best of his ability, he planned to follow that advice.

Neither one of them knew how they came to stop kissing. If asked, they both would have said it must have been the other, because given the choice, they would have preferred that it continue long into the night. But even though their lips were no longer brushing up against each other, they remained locked together, their arms still wrapped snugly, hands still rubbing lightly wherever they had landed. They stood close, eyes still closed as they savored the moment, their faces nuzzling each other, cheek to cheek, raspy breath fluttering in their ears.

Finally, Castle managed to voice his desire in a hint of a whisper against her neck, "Kate..." he moaned softly. He felt her lips curl up into a smile as she heard him call her name, a sensual sound that filled her heart and her soul with a warm satisfaction and joy. She leaned forward playfully to take his earlobe gently between her teeth biting lightly then sucking. He whispered a moan of delight, bringing both of his hands around her back and clinging tightly to her slender frame.

"If we weren't on my daughter's field trip right now..." his voice trailed off as Castle was finally coming to his senses.

Kate reached around his body with both hands to pull him even tighter to hers. "I know..." she agreed. "But Rick?"

"Mm-hmm?" he replied now nuzzling her neck, kissing along her jaw line, finding her ear with his teeth.

"Rick, we _are_ on your daughter's field trip. We should...ah...ohhh...we should..." Rick sensed he had found a particularly sensitive area on Kate's neck and he worked to exploit it, destroying her previous train of thought. She squirmed a bit as the pressure he was using sent chills up and down her spine and was starting to tickle.

"What were you saying?" His deep voice rumbled between them and vibrated against her skin, causing more waves of chills to engulf her.

"I...um...was...ohhh...um...just..." Kate tried to pull herself away from him, the intensity growing too strong to take, but he gripped her even tighter, confining her with his strength. She struggled lightly, but realized eventually the futility of her movements. He wasn't letting her go.

But Kate believed that turnaround was fair play and she had a few tricks of her own. She stopped struggling against him and settled back into his body. Pulling her hips against him, she applied just the right amount of pressure to encourage a low moan to emanate from deep in his chest. She turned her head into his neck and pressed soft kisses from his collar bone to his earlobe. Gently, Kate used her teeth to nip at his neck and graze his jaw line playfully, and then moved to his chin, which she sucked on tenderly.

When he bent down to pull her into yet another kiss, she took control, backing her head away. He opened his eyes, full of desire, with just a hint of confusion as to why she was not firmly planted on his lips. Her eyes glinted with mischief, a smile taunting him to try again. He leaned in towards her, but again she backed away, her teeth pulling suggestively on her lower lip. His frustration grew as her smile did.

"Tease," he whispered as he brought one finger to drag down her neck softly. He was searching for...yep, there it is...Kate's back arched and her eyes closed as his finger alighted on the spot that had set her moaning earlier. Her lips parted as she breathed in heavily. He took that as his chance and leaned in to kiss her again. She didn't back away this time, but instead went on the offensive, the need to release her intense desire overwhelming her.

As much as their previous kiss had been subtle and soft, this kiss was full of fierce passion and a yearning that they had yet to express. They pressed firmly together, their hands now groping every inch of each other's bodies. But this level of intensity could not be sustained for long and finally they broke apart, panting heavily and staring into the depths of each other's eyes.

"That was amazing," Rick said trying to catch his breath. Kate just replied with a smile.

After a few more moments of gazing into each other's eyes, Kate finally broke free of the passion that had been clouding her thoughts.

"Rick, um, maybe we should go to the campfire?" She didn't want his answer to be yes, but she knew that they really needed to go. Their responsibility was to the kids, and if she thought about it honestly, she wasn't ready yet for this relationship to progress farther than it already had, at least not tonight. It wasn't like her to dive so quickly into someone else, and she was worried that she might lose control. She liked where they were heading, but she just needed some time to..._to what_? she wondered. Clearly she just needed some time.

"Hmm...right, campfire." Rick had not yet recovered enough to string more than a few words together. He was slowly coming back into the present but, just, _wow_.

Kate could see that she was going to have to take charge if they were ever going to get out of there. "Castle, why don't you go back outside. I'll make us some coffee and join you when it's ready."

Rick looked at her realizing it was a good suggestion. No need to have anyone guessing what they'd been up to. And definitely no need to let Alexis in on it. Not yet anyways.

He smiled and leaned over to give her one last soft peck on her cheek. Any more and he'd be in trouble of actually never letting her go. "Okay. I'll see you in a few minutes." He backed out of the room, never taking his eyes off her beautiful face, smiling like a teenage boy who'd just kissed his crush for the first time. It was sweet and endearing and it made Kate smile right back at him.

"Go," she instructed. He winked playfully, then turned to leave.

Kate turned to start making some coffee for them but a quiet sound drew her attention back to the door. "Castle, go," she commanded again, rolling her eyes at him, but laughing.

Standing in the doorway, he smiled again. "Right. Going." He started to walk away again, did a quick double-take and finally walked away down the hall.

Kate decided to make a big pot of coffee and take a tray of mugs out to all the chaperones. The air had a bit of a chill in it tonight and she thought maybe this would help take the edge off.

As she stood leaning against the counter waiting for the coffee to brew, Kate's eyes glazed over thinking about what had just happened. She brought her hand absently to her mouth and brushed the tips of her fingers lightly across her lips, still warm from his touch. Looking at her watch, she was surprised to realize that in fact, they had only been in the lounge together for less than ten minutes, but it had felt like a lifetime. It had been truly the most amazing kiss she'd ever had and all she could think about was how she wanted it to happen again.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay in posting this chapter, but at least I left off on a kiss, not a cliffhanger! To date, this chapter has been the most difficult thing I have ever written. I'm not sure if it's because of my recent four chapters in four days writing rampage, or if it's because watching Castle on Monday stripped me of my happy creative juices, though I imagine it's a bit of both. I've felt both drained and distracted since Sunday, and so I'm not really sure that this chapter is my best work. I'm struggling with whether any of it really needs to even be in the story at all, as I don't know how effectively it really moves the plot along. But, as with any writer's block, I really believe the cure is to just keep writing. I do think I'm finding my stride again and hopefully, things will start to pick up again in the coming chapters.**

**Regardless of the above, I could really use some feedback. Positive or constructive, it all helps to make me a better writer and to give you a better story. I truly value all of the time you've given to this little world I've created, so thanks.**

**Disclaimer: Andrew Marlowe, as always I am in awe of your work and hope that mine captures the spirit of what you have created. I don't own the Castle world, but I'm having fun playing around in it. Oh, and please stop writing lines that make Nathan cry. You're literally killing me.**

* * *

When Kate arrived at the campfire, Rick had already settled himself down amidst the kids who were working in teams on a series of riddles and puzzles. She set the tray of coffee mugs and the pot on a large flat rock beside the fire. Anita and Liz, who had been circulating through the groups of kids, walked over to Kate, enticed by the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

"Kate, you are a godsend," Liz joked as she took a steaming hot mug. "Mmm it smells so good. Thank you for making it."

"Oh, you're welcome. Anita would you like a cup?" She held out another mug towards Anita, smiling politely. Anita hesitated a moment, a mixture of emotions on her face. Kate could see that she was still struggling with the conversation that she'd had with Rick earlier and didn't seem to want to accept any kindness from Kate, whom she viewed as the competition. But finally, the chill in the air seemed to win out and she reached forward to take the cup.

"Thank you," she replied simply. Kate smiled again, but she noticed out of the corner of her eye, that Liz was wearing a rather bewildered look. She clearly had no idea what was going on between the two women, but she could tell that there was some level of tension.

Kate reached down to pour another mug when she straightened up and looked at Liz. "Where's Don? I brought a mug for him too. Is he still not back yet?"

Liz's expression changed from bewildered to concerned. "No, not yet. He called just before we went to dinner to say that he had gotten everything we needed but was having trouble with the bus. He said had found a mechanic who was willing to take a look at it for him but I guess it's taking longer than he thought. Hopefully he won't be too much longer."

Kate thought back to dinner and now realized that she had only barely been aware that he wasn't with them for the meal. She had been so distracted thinking about Castle and Alexis and Paige that she hadn't really wondered where Don was. It wasn't like her to not notice those little details but she did have rather a lot on her mind.

Kate poured two more cups of coffee and walked over to where Castle still sat on the ground, several of the children climbing around him trying to help with the tasks at hand. He was literally in the middle of their circle, everyone wanting to get to hear what he had to say, but still wanting to put their two cents in to try to solve the riddles. Castle was really in his element – word games and kids, two of his favorite things. Kate stood silently to the side of the group, a small smile playing on her lips as she watched.

"I don't get this one," one of the boys was grumbling about their current game.

"It's easy Eddie, here let's try another one," Alexis was playing the parent as always. Kate was still so impressed by the little girl, so loving and compassionate and friendly to everyone. "Okay, so the game is called Pink Elephants and the goal is to figure out how many pink elephants there are. So," she started pointing wildly around at various areas of camp, "if there's twelve pink elephants in that tent over there and there's three hiding behind the fire, and there's twenty-two at the meal hall, how many pink elephants are there?"

Eddie thought for a moment, used his fingers to count and finally answered, "Thirty-seven?" A few of the kids who had already figured out the game snickered.

"No,"Alexis replied softly, "there are six."

"What? Six? How can there only be six?" Castle asked in disbelief. Kate couldn't tell whether he actually didn't know how the game went or if he was just doing it to keep Eddie from feeling bad about not getting it.

"Yeah," Eddie added mimicking Castle, "How can there be only six?"

"Well," Alexis said, "it's all in how I ask the question. How about we try again. If there are two pink elephants over there, and three pink elephants over there and ten pink elephants over there, how many are there?"

Castle and Eddie looked at each other, conferred for a moment and replied together, "Fifteen." They looked at the group with satisfied grins on their faces.

Alexis looked apologetically at them both, "No, sorry. That's not how many there are. Does anyone else want to guess?"

Kate crouched down to join the group and replied, "There are four." Castle looked up at her, surprised because he hadn't seen her approach.

"Kate, you're just joining us so you don't know the rules of the game. I'm sure that was a good guess, but..." Castle tried to soften what he was sure would be a negative response from Alexis.

"But Dad..." she started, looking sheepishly at him.

"No!" He looked from Alexis to Kate and back again. "No, how can that be right? How can there be only four elephants when there was two there, and three, and ten? Argh...I don't like this game!" Castle pouted childishly.

"Dad," Alexis admonished, "you're not setting a very good example." She nodded her head indicating Eddie who was now draped around Castle's shoulders watching the exchange with interest.

Castle looked at Eddie and ruffled his hair, "No, you're right Alexis. Don't worry Eddie, we'll figure this one out."

"Thanks Mr. Castle," Eddie responded, "but I kind of think I'm getting it. Try one more Alexis."

"Okay, there are no pink elephants. How many elephants are there?"

"Wha...?"

Castle looked dumbfounded at Alexis but Eddie straightened up and replied proudly, "There are five elephants."

"Yes! That's right Eddie! You figured it out!" Alexis clapped her hands together, a wide proud smile beaming across her face, while the other kids gave Eddie high-fives.

"Okay Eddie," Castle looked over at him. "Tell me how it works."

"Sorry Mr. Castle, you have to figure it out on your own," Eddie smiled down at Castle who feigned a look of anger at him.

"Traitor," Castle said with a hint of a smile on his face. "Fine then, I'm going to take a break and drink some coffee to get my brain working, and then I'm coming back to figure this out."

Castle and Beckett stood and walked away from the kids who had already started on another game. He took the coffee from Beckett's outstretched hand and took a long slow pull. "Mmm, that is good. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Kate replied.

"So, now, tell me Officer Beckett, how did you know how many elephants there were?" Castle used what he thought was his best interrogation voice to try to get the info from Kate.

"Girl scouts when I was a kid. I've played all those little word games and riddles before."

"Ahh...so then tell me this, what will it take for you to tell me how it works? It's seriously killing me!" Kate laughed out loud at his frustration.

"Oh, I don't know Castle. You're supposed to figure it out for yourself, that's part of the fun." She smiled teasingly at him.

"Fun? Sure, right, yeah this is really fun. But seriously, what can I do to make you tell me?"

Castle moved closer to Kate a suggestive look on his face. His back was turned to the kids so they couldn't see what he was doing but Kate was nervous about how they might react to his antics so she stepped back away from him and said quietly, "No PDA in front of the kids Castle. You'll just have to figure it out for yourself."

"Kaaaate..." he whined softly.

"Nope, sorry. My lips are sealed."

"Hmm. For now," he retorted.

The rest of the campfire proceeded much the same, finishing up with Castle reading from a children's book that the class had been studying back at school. The kids had sat entranced listening to his voice tell the story of a young princess crusading through the wilderness to save her prince from the evil sorcerer. Kate too had been spellbound listening to his voice weave drama and intrigue into the tale.

Several times he had looked over to see her completely rapt with attention, the firelight and shadows dancing playfully across her features. Several times he had almost lost his place in the story as he was distracted by the beauty of her face, her flawless skin, her sparkling eyes, her supple lips. Then their eyes would connect, she would smile, and he would realize he had no idea what he was reading. She had laughed watching him try to cover his errors, clearly embellishing parts of the book that weren't there so no one would detect his mistakes, but everyone was so engrossed that they didn't even notice. Either that or they didn't care.

After snack the kids all made their way to their tents while Kate walked over to sit back at the fire. It was her night for patrolling, and given the developments in the case, she was happy to take this shift to keep her eye on Paige.

Castle was standing just outside the meal hall giving Alexis one final hug and kiss goodnight when Liz approached him. "Mr. Castle, I have a small favor to ask." She always tried to be formal with the chaperones when the kids were in earshot. It was something he'd come to respect about her.

"Of course Miss Travers, what do you need?" Castle smiled at her, quite impressed the last two days with her adeptness in dealing with the students. Alexis had been saying all year what a great teacher she was and he was happy to have had the chance to really get to see her in action. She was so great with the kids.

"Well, Don's still not back yet," she glanced nervously at the parking lot, empty except for Beckett's car. "He was supposed to take tonight's patrol shift. I know you did it last night, but, well I was wondering if you'd mind doing it again. I like to make sure there's one male and one female chaperone just in case you need to go into one of the tents for anything. You know the rules, no boys in girls' tents, no girls in boys' tents. Officer Beckett will be patrolling with you." She looked up at him hopefully.

Rick looked over at the fire where Kate had just settled herself in to a chair. _On patrol with Kate? You don't need to ask me twice._ "Of course Liz, I would be happy to. Don't even worry about it."

"Oh, thank you so much Rick," she replied with gratitude, using his first name again now that all the kids had gone off to bed.

"Really, don't give it another thought. I'm on it."

Liz wandered off to bed, while Castle walked over to join Beckett at the fire. As he approached, he noticed that Kate seemed to be entranced by the flames and perhaps her reflections on the day's events.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked quietly not wanting to ruin the serenity of the moment.

She looked up at him slowly, her mind still lost in the images of her day. The warmth of the fire had allowed her to relax just enough that her mind could wander at will. Paige, Alexis, Castle, they all cycled through her mind at varying intervals.

She smiled as she finally registered that Castle was standing before her. "It's all yours," she replied.

Rick pulled a chair closer to the fire and snuggled in beside her. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Kate looked back to the fire, the smile growing on her lips as she remembered their kiss that evening. Then she turned to look playfully back at him through the corner of her eyes and the look on her face clued him in, though she didn't say a word.

"Ah, yes, but that thought is worth much more than a penny," he said matching the playful look on her face. She turned back to the fire, still smiling, and enjoying the memories as they floated by. They both sat in silence for what seemed like a long time, watching the flames dance in front of them, lost in thought, enjoying the peace that comes after the end of a long but satisfying day.

Kate looked down, suddenly roused from her thoughts by the warmth of his hand as it slowly crept under hers, their palms now resting together on the armrest of her chair. Her eyes rose to meet his as she intertwined their fingers. She leaned her head against the high back of the chair and gazed peacefully at the man before her with a level of comfort that she hadn't felt for a long time.

A growing sound behind them caught their attention and they turned to watch a group of girls heading to their tent from the bathroom, the last group to get settled in for bed. As they watched, a single figure broke away from the group and headed towards them, long red hair bouncing lightly. Rick and Kate pulled their hands out from each other's grasp and watched as Alexis strode forward.

"Hi sweetheart. Ready for bed?" Rick called out.

"Yep, just wanted to say goodnight again," she replied. As she reached in to hug Castle where he sat, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her onto his lap, kissing her cheeks repeatedly. She giggled and squirmed as he tickled her stomach, the two of them laughing together as she tried to get away. Kate watched, silently laughing at the sight and realizing that there really was so much more to Castle than she would have ever guessed.

"Daddy stop it! You'll get me all riled up before bed and I'll never get to sleep," Alexis admonished her father, more to try to get him to stop than because she was actually worried about not sleeping.

Castle laughed jovially at her comments, "Nice try, but after the day we've had, I'm pretty sure you'll have no trouble getting to sleep." But despite his rebuttal, he stopped tickling his daughter and squeezed her tight.

"Daddy?" she asked looking up at him, her head resting comfortably on his broad chest.

"Yes pumpkin?"

"I'm glad you climbed today. I'm very proud of you," she whispered the comment shyly.

He looked down at her with such a tender love in his eyes. "Well, you were my inspiration, so thank you." He kissed the crown of her forehead and squeezed her tight. "I love you Alexis."

"I love you too Daddy. Good night."

She stood and stretched, a cat-like yawn purring from her lips. As she walked past Kate, she stopped suddenly and reached down to hug her as well. Lingering just a moment she whispered in Kate's ear, "Thanks Officer Beckett. Good night." Castle watched his daughter, sharing this heartfelt moment, with surprise.

Alexis didn't often allow herself to get close to adult women, preferring not to get attached in case they didn't stay long in her life. She had been burned a couple of times in the past, not just by her mother who flitted in and out of her life on a whim, but also by a few of Rick's past girlfriends. She was such an open and caring little girl and had tended to get attached to those women who paid any attention to her. But over the years, she had learned to keep them at arms length to avoid the hurt of their inevitable departure. Castle hated that she'd had to learn that lesson at such a young age. He had become much more careful about who he allowed to even meet Alexis, to the point that he couldn't actually remember the last time he had introduced her to anyone in his life.

The fact that he was now watching her make the choice to let Beckett in was so touching. He didn't think that Kate would actually comprehend the significance of this moment but it definitely didn't pass by him. It also made him feel more comfortable about the relationship that he and Kate were starting. He knew she was special and was pleased to see Alexis confirming that she felt so too.

"Good night Alexis," Kate replied lightly squeezing her back.

Kate's eyes trailed after Alexis as she returned to her tent. When she turned back to the fire, she realized that Rick was watching her. He had the most adorkable grin on his face, his eyes soft and tender. "What?" she asked him softly.

He smiled back at her trying to figure out exactly how to say what he had just witnessed without it scaring her off. He didn't want to come on too strong, but really this was huge for Alexis, and therefore, huge for him too. "Alexis, she really likes you," he stated simply.

"I like her too, Castle. She's really a wonderful girl. You must be really proud of her."

"Yes, I am. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"You know," Kate started, but then hesitated. She didn't want to come on too strong either, but she felt she had already made a connection with Alexis that was unlike anything she had experienced before. She really had no friends or family with kids to compare this to.

"What?" he asked prodding her to continue.

"Well, it's just that...I don't usually...well, I never..." Kate paused again, trying to find the right words. "Alexis, she's just really special."

Castle's smile widened as he realized that Kate was feeling the same thing for his daughter that Alexis was feeling for her. "I think she thinks you are too."

"Hmmm," Kate looked back to the fire contemplating his words.

"Hey, Kate," Castle took Kate's hand again in his own and applied a gentle hint of pressure to get her attention back. As she turned to look at him again, he asked, "What did you two talk about this afternoon? When I came back from the Adventure Park you were clearly in the middle of something. What did she say?"

Kate wasn't sure how to answer his questions. She wasn't sure how much Alexis would want her to say, but at the same time she thought maybe she should share it with him. It was about him, after all, and if his daughter was concerned about him, shouldn't he know that? "Well," she started slowly, "Alexis wanted to thank me for getting you to climb today. She said she thought it was good for you."

Castle's eyebrows rose at the comment. "Yeah, that sounds like something she would say. Did she say anything else?" He seemed pretty intrigued to hear everything so she figured she better just lay it out and let him deal with the implications.

"Yes, she said she thought maybe you were bored, with writing, and that you were having a hard time finding your next inspiration. But she also said that you've been different up here, like you've found something to excite you again, like you've found something to motivate you." The words tumbled out of Kate's mouth quickly so that she didn't have time to reconsider saying them.

"Really...?" He said slowly. Castle's gaze had turned contemplative as he mulled the words over in his head. "Did she say what she thought that inspiration might be?"

Kate looked back at the fire to avoid making eye contact with him. She wasn't sure she really wanted to tell him the next part. She didn't know what his reaction would be and it made her nervous to speak.

"Hey, what is it?" Castle leaned forward in his chair so he could pull himself closer to Beckett. He placed his fingers lightly on her jaw and turned her face towards his. "Kate, what is it? You can tell me."

Kate tried to speak but her voice faltered as she melted under the intensity of his stare. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath turning her body in her seat so she could look fully into his eyes. It was now or never. "She said she thought your inspiration was me."

Silence settled between them as Kate finished and let the words sink in. Castle sat frozen in place, his mouth slightly agape, his eyes unfocused Finally, his attention came back to her and he swallowed thickly. "What, um, what did you think of that?" he finally asked, not wanting to pressure her with his thoughts until he knew where she stood.

"Well, I...I'm not sure really. It surprised me when she said it." His shoulders sunk slightly listening to her explanation and she knew right away that she needed to clarify. "What I mean is I wasn't expecting her to be so upfront about what she was thinking. People aren't usually like that so I didn't really know what to say to her." She wasn't sure that her explanation helped much. The smile on Castle's face had faded just slightly.

"So, you weren't surprised at the idea but just that she said it?" he asked, still trying to figure out where she stood on the topic. Would she be overwhelmed if she thought he felt the same way as Alexis? Would it scare her off? Even after only two days together, Castle continued to feel a strong connection with Kate and he wanted to know if she was really feeling the same thing. They had shared three of the most amazing kisses, but he had been fooled before by women who were really only interested in his fame and his money. And when push came to shove, he really didn't think his ego or his heart could take a hit like that right now. He didn't think that was where Kate was at, but his radar had been a little off as late so he just wasn't sure.

"Well, I suppose I was surprised by both. I guess, well, I didn't know you before yesterday Rick, so I only know you as what I've seen these last two days. I can't see it from Alexis' perspective because I didn't know what you were like before."

"Hmm. That makes sense I guess." They sat in silence again, trying to figure out whether they should each say what they were really feeling, both nervous that the other would flee from the enormity of it all, from the speed with which things were happening. Neither wanted to rush into anything, but they also couldn't deny what their hearts were telling them.

Kate finally broke the silence, unable to contain her thoughts any longer. "Rick? What do you think about what Alexis said?" She looked up at him, nervously biting her bottom lip.

A million thoughts flew through Castle's mind as he tried to decide whether to take this leap of faith. He so wanted to but frankly he was afraid. She was the most incredible creature to have come into his life in a very long time and he didn't want to lose the possibility of her, of them. Finally he took a deep breath, steeled himself for the after effects and stated simply, "I think she's right."

And now a million thoughts flew through Beckett's mind, but she simply ignored them all. She reached forward putting her hand on his face and pulled him toward her, kissing his lips, letting him know that she wasn't going anywhere.

A moment after she pulled back from him, a pair of lights flashed across Kate's face, temporarily blinding her. She pulled her hands up to cover her eyes and Rick turned to see where they were coming from. Don had finally returned from his sojourn into town and was parking the bus next to Kate's car.

As the pair walked over to greet him, Don opened the doors to the bus and stepped out sluggishly. Rick thought he looked terrible, like he'd aged in the few hours since he'd been gone. It must have been quite an ordeal.

"Don, welcome back," Rick tried to sound cheerful, though he wasn't sure it would have any effect. Don really looked beat.

"Oh hey there Rick, thanks. Everything okay here?"

"Sure, no problems. The kids missed you at the campfire though."

"Oh, yes, I'm sorry I missed it. Did you manage to scare them all without me?" Don asked, though he didn't really look like he was interested in conversation. He looked distracted.

"No, not tonight. We decided that maybe one scary story was enough," Castle chuckled at the memory of their antics the previous night.

"Hmm, probably a good idea. Well, if you don't mind, I think I'll head off to bed. It's been a long day and I'm ready to sleep." Without waiting for a response, Don turned and walked off to the residence building.

"Good night Don," Rick called after him. Don just waved his hand in the air without turning and stepped into the building.

Rick and Kate walked back to the fire, Rick glancing back to the building every couple of steps, with concern. "Did that seem weird to you?"

"He seemed a little off," Kate replied. "I'm sure he's just exhausted."

"Yeah, maybe," Castle said hesitantly still glancing behind him.

"Speaking of exhausted, do you think you can handle putting the fire out? I think I'm going to head off to bed myself."

Rick slowed his pace looking up at her, causing Beckett to do the same. She looked at the disappointment on his face and laughed lightly. "Oh come on Castle, don't be such a baby." She smiled teasingly at him.

"I just thought, well, I thought maybe we could go back to our spot, you know, for some...stargazing," he grinned at her.

"Stargazing, huh? Why is it that I don't believe you're interested in the stars?" she moved in closer to him and put her hands on his shoulders. He in turn put his hands around her waist, clasping his fingers behind her back and pulling her closer.

"I don't think I like what you're implying Officer Beckett. I am a pillar of truth, the real Apollo, I cannot tell a lie." Castle leaned down and kissed her softly.

"Mmhmm..." Kate replied with disbelief, but he felt her smiling against his lips.

He pulled away from her, "Well, I guess maybe I'm interested in more than just stargazing."

"That's what I thought," Kate laughed. "But I really am tired, and we have a long hike planned for tomorrow. We need to have enough energy to keep up with the kids." It's true that she was tired, but additionally, Kate didn't want to take herself too far away from the camp. Now that there was even a chance that Paige might be in danger, she felt it was important to stay close by.

"Fine," Rick said, "you go off and get your beauty sleep, not that you need it, and I'll take care of the fire."

"Thanks for understanding," she stood up on her toes to peck him on the nose and started to pry herself away.

But before he would let her go, Castle's grip tightened for just a moment. "Kate, thank you for today." There was so much more he wanted to say, but the words just weren't coming to him. Or maybe there were just too many words and none of them seemed enough.

"You're welcome. And thank you too. I had a really great day, even if you did kick me off that beam," her smile grew as he laughed at the image.

"Totally an accident, but it did let me show of my knight in shining armor suit. I did save you in pretty spectacular fashion."

"You mean you got lucky and made it look good," she teased. "But really, it was fun." She stood up again on her toes and drew him into a final good night kiss. His lips were soft and warm. _I could really get comfortable here,_ she thought as she released him. "Good night."

"Night Kate."

Castle and Beckett turned to walk their separate ways, lost in thought, smiles lighting up their faces. They were both so distracted that neither of them noticed a pair of eyes, watching them from the distance.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: So this chapter was a little different from my usual style I think...at least the content anyways. I tried to use a bit more imagery (something I find really hard to do) so I'm not sure if I hit the mark or not, if it needs more or less. Any feedback would be very welcome.**

**Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, followed and favourited this story. Your support is truly wonderful!**

**Disclaimer: Oh how I wish I owned Castle. Even to be just a small part in the creative genius behind it would be an honour. Alas, I will simply continue to dream...**

* * *

Everything was fuzzy. _Why is everything so fuzzy?_ Kate shook her head to clear the cobwebs but it didn't help. Her eyes just wouldn't focus. _What the hell is going on?_ Images flashed before her like a slideshow on high speed and she couldn't see any picture long enough to fully grasp what it was. _God, if it would just slow down...slow down...slow down..._ She needed to slow down. Kate took in a deep breath and held it for a moment to let her lungs really expand and her heart to calm its erratic pace. She breathed out slowly, deliberately, and closed her eyes to steady herself.

When she finally released her breath and opened her eyes, the image before her was confusing. A small child, maybe four years old, with long blond hair ran before her through the woods. Kate ran after her, struggling to keep up. _Where was she going?_

"Wait!" Kate called out, but her voice was just a whisper. She cleared her throat and tried again, putting more force into it. "Wait! Where are you going?" Her voice remained barely audible.

She crested the hill and looked around, but the girl was gone. She looked frantically, turning in a circle, but she was alone. It was strange to be alone. It was quiet. Too quiet. Eerily quiet. Not like the quiet you get as you snuggle into bed late at night, the white noise of the city in the background quietly drowning out the thoughts in your head. This was total and complete silence, like someone had literally turned the volume down on life. There were no birds, no rustling of leaves, no animals scampering across the forest floor.

A sudden crack sounded in the distance, all of the noises returning with it, the mute button turned off. _Gunshot?_

Kate started moving slowly in the direction of the sound, reaching behind her for the gun that was usually strapped to her belt. She stopped walking realizing that her trusty glock wasn't there. _Where the hell is my gun?_

A scream drew her attention and this time she ran at full speed towards the sound. Up ahead, finally, she saw the girl standing over a body. When she arrived, she took the girl by the shoulders and turned her around. "Paige?" she gasped in surprise. "Paige, what are you doing here?"

The girl made no motion to speak, instead looking over her shoulder at the body that lay behind her, tears streaking down her face. Kate moved her away, put herself between Paige and the corpse to block the image from the child's view.

"My mother," Paige had finally whispered.

Kate moved forward to check on the woman that lay sprawled on her back on the ground. She looked down with horror at the eyes that stared back at her coolly, void of life. Kate's breath caught in her throat as she finally grasped what she was seeing. But it wasn't Paige's mother she saw.

_No, it can't be. What's happening?_ Kate's mother lay on the ground in front of her, as she had in the alley over four years ago. Johanna Beckett's brown eyes stared up at her, haunting her.

"Paige, how did you...? Paige?" Kate turned to discover that Paige was no longer standing behind her. Her eyes finally locked on the little girl running away again, back up the hill Kate had just come down. "Paige, wait!" Kate took off running after her. Again, she crested the hill to find no sign of anyone else around. "Paige? Paige where are you? Paige?" She called out frantically over and over. _What the hell was going on?_

She turned in a circle, looking for any sign of the child, turning...turning...turning...she couldn't stop, couldn't slow down. She was spinning wildly out of control. She needed an anchor, something to hold on to, something to steady her.

"Kate." The world stopped spinning as quickly as it had started. Castle stood now in front of her. "Kate," he said again.

"Paige...where's...?" She tried to turn away, to keep searching the trees for a sign, a glimpse of the girl who had run terrified into the woods.

"Kate." Rick grabbed her arm and squeezed lightly.

"Paige," she replied, her voice more insistent.

"Kate...Kate..." Rick was shaking her gently, but things were getting fuzzy again. She blinked forcefully trying to clear her vision, but once more she could not. The sun was shining brightly through the trees casting a white haze on everything she looked at. It was getting brighter and brighter, and he was fading...she couldn't stay locked on his image...he was fading...

"Castle, don't go..." she tried calling to him but he faded further and further from her vision until he was gone. She brought her hands up to her eyes to try to stop the blinding light that was now burning through her closed lids. "Castle...Castle..."

* * *

"_Castle_!" She bolted forward, sitting straight up in her chair, gasping for breath and grabbed hold of the first thing she could. Her arms wrapped tightly around Castle's broad shoulders and she buried her head against him.

"Whoa, Kate. Kate, are you okay? It's okay you were dreaming. You were only dreaming. You're okay now, I've got you. I've got you." He moved his hands around to rub her back gently, trying to rouse her from the dream. He squeezed her tight, giving her the tether she needed to come back to reality.

Finally, with some effort, she tried to look around but the sun was burning brightly in the sky, blinding her, making her eyes water. She brought her hands up to her face as she had in her dream, only this time it blocked the light from her eyes. _Her dream. She was dreaming. But it was so real._

"Kate? Kate are you okay? I didn't mean to startle you but you were calling out in your sleep. Kate, you were sleeping. Why were you sleeping out here?" He still gripped her tightly but his tone was soothing and gentle.

Kate blinked her eyes open behind her hands and tried to regain her equilibrium. She felt the warmth of his strong arms around her, like a blanket wrapped tightly to cut the chill.

_Breathe, just breathe._ She focused on slowing down her racing heart by drawing in long deep breaths. _Keep breathing._

"Kate, seriously are you okay? What's going on? What are you doing out here?" Finally, Castle's words registered in her brain. He was here with her. He hadn't vanished. He was holding her tight, bringing her back, anchoring her.

Looking her eyes around frantically she tried to figure out what was going on, where she was. She blinked several times and wiped the tears from her eyes that had started to fall. Glancing down, she saw that the fire had reduced itself to mere embers. She was outside at the fire pit. _Why am I outside? What time is it?_

Her mind scrolled furiously through the events of the evening before. Sitting by the fire with Castle, seeing Don return from town and heading off to bed, she checked off her movements one at a time trying to find the missing piece.

_To bed_. She had gone to bed while Castle had put out the fire. She had laid there for hours, her mind whirling with thoughts of the search for Paige's father, questions about how much Paige knew about her parents, images of Paige's mother lying on the ground at the crime scene, blood pooling around her body where she had been stabbed.

_Paige's mother. That was it._ When Kate had locked on the idea that Paige would never see her mother again, it had reminded her of her own life. She couldn't shake the images of her mother lying on the ground in a pool of her own blood from a knife wound.

Feeling stifled by the confines of her room, Kate had sought fresh air. She also wanted to keep a closer eye on Paige, even though there was no indication that she was in any danger. But it made Kate feel like she had some control, could do something. Kate remembered walking over to Paige's tent and silently poking her head inside. She watched Paige sleeping, so peaceful. It reminded her of the way she had felt before her mother had died. The calm before the storm, the stability before her world started spinning out of control around her.

After a several moments, the tears rolling down her cheeks, Kate had walked back to the fire pit and relit the fire hoping it would cut through the chill of the fresh spring night. She had sat in the same chair as earlier that evening and watched the dance of the flames as they reached out into the night sky. She stared at the stars wondering if her mother was looking down on her from heaven, wondering what her mother would think of her life. Would she be proud? Would she be disappointed?

For hours she just sat there, adding logs to the fire as needed to keep it burning, until eventually, she fell into an uneasy sleep. She had fits of wakefulness and a vague recollection of images, unrecognizable in her daze, until finally, her mind had settled into the dream that she had just woken from.

"Kate?" Castle's voice so soft, so full of concern, finally brought her back to the present. The pieces now in place, she was able to lift her head from his shoulder to stare into his eyes.

Kate saw from him a mix of emotions that jumbled in with her own. But most of all, she saw fear. Not of her, but for her. Castle was afraid of the fierceness with which she had gripped him upon coming out of her nightmare. She could see that he was anxious about her state of mind, having no idea what she was doing outside so early in the morning and why she was so upset.

Castle remembered seeing sadness in Kate's eyes the first moment he had met her and now he was seeing the full force of her despair. Something tragic had impacted her life and her nightmare seemed to have brought up her clearly unresolved feelings about it. He wanted to ask her a thousand questions but really he didn't even know where to begin.

"Kate," he said again putting his hands on her face, brushing the hair out of her eyes, willing her to be okay. "Talk to me."

She looked at him, tilting her head slightly. He wasn't asking her any questions, wasn't trying to unravel the mystery. He was just there to listen, to whatever she wanted to share. His tone of voice and the look on his face instilled in her an overwhelming sense of trust, but she didn't know how much she could share. It wasn't that she didn't want to tell him everything. If there wasn't an investigation, if she wasn't a cop, if they weren't on his daughter's class camping trip, she knew she could tell him everything. But there was an investigation, she was a cop and they were on the trip. She knew that she couldn't brush it off flippantly as just a random nightmare, her reaction on waking was too highly charged. She had to share something, she wanted to share something, but she didn't know where to start.

"What time is it?" she asked simply, stalling for more time.

"It's just before six."

Kate's eyes squinted imperceptibly as questions now filled her mind about him. "Why are you awake so early?"

"I'm not sure really. I just woke up. I thought maybe I would go for a walk, see if I could find our spot and see what it looks like in the daylight. The kids won't be up for a couple more hours so I thought I would just...enjoy the quiet of the morning." He tried to smile, lighten the mood a touch, but the look didn't quite reach his eyes. He was concerned about her and she could tell that he just wanted to help her.

"Do you still want to go?"

"What? No, I...I want to be here."

"I mean...we could go...for a walk," when he looked at her the tenderness he displayed touched her deeply so she added, "we could talk."

A small wave of relief touched his features and he nodded with a light smile. He took both her hands and pulled her up to stand before him. Before she could turn to start walking, he put his arms around her back, his right hand cupping the back of her head and pulling her to him in a gentle embrace. "It's going to be okay Kate. Whatever it is, I'm here, it's going to be okay." Kate felt herself melting into his arms, her face pressed firmly against his chest. She at once felt small in his arms but also strengthened by his words. For the first time in a long time, she actually felt a small glimmer of hope that maybe he was right, that maybe it was going to be okay.

* * *

After walking in silence hand in hand they finally emerged through the trees into the clearing, high above the valley. The vision was as breathtaking in the light of day as it had been in the stillness of the dark night. The bright sun lit up the leaves on the trees and reflected off the river like diamonds. They found seats as they had two nights before and leaned up against the large smooth boulders.

Rick finally turned to look at Kate as she stared straight out over the valley lost in thought. He took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, lightly brushing a kiss across her knuckles. Kate melted into his eyes, like pools of deep cool water, and began.

"Four years ago, my mom died," Kate's voice faltered slightly as she tried to put into words the myriad of thoughts running through her mind. It wasn't that she hadn't ever told anyone the story, but this time was different. Castle was different.

"We were supposed to meet for dinner. My dad and I waited for her at the restaurant. We thought she had lost track of time at work." Kate looked up at Rick and smiled, "She was a brilliant civil rights attorney and her clients became like family to her, so she worked tirelessly on their behalf."

"She wanted to get them justice," Castle offered, understanding.

"Yes," Kate was nodding, "yes that's right. She was very good at her job and it meant a lot to her to be able to help others who needed it. She was always working late, so my dad and I didn't think much of it when she didn't show up to meet us. When we arrived at home a police officer was waiting for us. She was in Washington Heights, working on a case, when she was stabbed. They said it was gang violence, but..." her voice trailed off as tears welled in her eyes.

"But you don't believe that?" Rick asked the same question that so many others had before, but it was different. He wasn't asking in disbelief, or shock, or doubt. He was merely confirming what she had not yet voiced. She nodded, wiping a tear with the back of her hand.

Kate took a deep breath to steady herself before continuing, "I couldn't sleep. Tonight, when I went to my room, I couldn't sleep. My mind started racing, my heart started racing, so I went outside to get some fresh air. I relit the fire and I guess after a while I fell asleep."

"And your nightmare? You were dreaming about your mom?" he asked gently.

She looked up at him again, hesitating. She didn't want to lie to him but she also knew that it wouldn't be right to tell him about Paige. "I saw her lying on the ground in the forest. Her eyes staring up at me, blood on the leaves around her. I started to spin, literally, I was turning and turning, out of control...until something stopped me."

When she didn't immediately continue, he prodded, "What stopped you Kate?"

Staring deep into his eyes, she searched for an answer to the question that had been creeping up on her as she told her story. What if she just told him everything? Finally, she resolved to be as honest as she could with him. "You did. You stopped me from spinning."

He turned his body so he could face her more fully, his shoulder now pressing against the cold hard stone of the boulder, his mouth agape at the sincerity and the meaning of her confession.

Before he could speak, she pushed on, knowing if she hesitated she would never admit what she was about to. She never thought she would ever tell anyone this, but here in this moment, she wanted him to know. "You saved me in my dream. You stopped me from spinning out of control. Just like you did before."

Castle looked at her now in confusion. _Before? Did we meet before this?_ Castle wracked his brain trying to remember, but nothing sprang to mind.

"Three and a half years ago," she continued, "you published 'Kissed and Killed' and I read it. When I probably should have been reading self-help books about grieving, I read your book instead and it stopped me from spinning. Your words allowed me to enter a world where I didn't have to think about anything real, because sometimes it was just too hard to think about. I went back to the bookstore and bought all your other books. I read them all and they grounded me. They helped me to find a way out of the nightmare that had become my life." Looking up at him she realized how heavy an admission this had been. He stared at her with a look on his face that she couldn't read.

Realizing that she was done, he turned and looked out over the valley, trying to organize all of the thoughts running through his head. He finally looked back at her, his eyes moist with emotion. "Kate, I am truly humbled. I never thought my work could have such an impact on anyone. Thank you for telling me all of this. I know it must have been hard, but I am really honored that you felt you could trust me enough to tell me about your mom. I wish I had known you back then. I wish I could have been there to comfort you."

"Oh but you did Castle. Your words comforted me. And, you actually were there," she paused looking up, a glint in her eyes. When he looked questioningly back at her she continued, "I went to a book signing. After you published your first Derrick Storm novel. I stood in line for over an hour to meet you."

"You did?"

"Yes, but when I got to the front of the line, I got tongue-tied. I wanted to tell you how much your books had meant to me, but I just couldn't get the words out. But you signed my book and it made my day."

"I wish I remembered," he said simply, truly wishing he had noticed her then.

"You must have seen hundreds of people that day, Castle, there's no way you would remember me. But you did write more than just your name."

"I did? What did I say?" A playfulness filled his tone that was infectious and Kate smiled at him.

"You wrote 'To Kate, the beauty of your smile shines brightly as a beacon of light and hope.'" Castle's face fell, his mouth opening in disbelief.

"I wrote that?" he asked in a whisper.

"Yes, but you probably wrote that to a hundred other girls. But it still made me feel special, that you took the time to write more than just your name. It really meant something to me. I was just starting my training at the police academy and it made me feel like I had made the right decision, like I was going to be able to give hope to people as I protected them."

Castle continued to stare at Kate, unable to convey his thoughts. "I wrote that?" he asked again.

"Yes. Castle, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Kate was growing concerned by the look on his face.

"Kate, I didn't write that for a hundred other girls," he said quietly.

"What do you mean? How can you remember that?"

"Kate, I do remember that. I remember because I only ever wrote that once. A young woman put my book in front of me and as I looked up to ask her name, I was overcome by the look in her eyes. There was such passion and sorrow, but a strength like I had never seen before. I remember because I looked up and saw her smile, saw her hope, and it washed over me like a wave. Kate I remember. I remember _you_."

Kate looked at him in shocked disbelief. "No, you must have written that many times. You can't remember..."

"I do remember. But you look different now. The woman I saw was thinner, her hair was different, it was..."

"Short," they both said together, and Kate's breath caught in her throat. _How was this possible? How was this happening?_

Rick too was overwhelmed with the memories flooding back to him of that day. He didn't remember where he was, the hundreds of book signings all flowing together now, and he didn't remember when it was, but he did remember her eyes. Looking down now into those same eyes, he was overcome by the feeling that it was fate that had allowed them to meet that day, and fate that had brought them here together again. He had often wondered about the woman he met that day, what her story was, where she had come from, where she had gone, and now, finally he knew. He knew her story, he was a part of her story, and she a part of his.

They sat in silence, staring into each other's eyes, entranced by the power of the revelations they had uncovered. It was unbelievable and yet, at the same time, seemed completely sensible. It was overwhelming yet uncomplicated, extraordinary yet natural. They both had gained new insight into each other and they were captivated by their deepening connection. But there was nothing contrived or cliché about what was happening between them. It was simple, and sweet, and they were undaunted by the immensity of it.

Finally, Rick glanced down at his watch and noticed the time. "We should probably go. The kids will be getting up soon and we have a long day ahead of us." As he stood, he reached down to take her hand. He pulled her up and they stood again, intently looking into each other's eyes. "Kate, I know I said this already but thank you for telling me about your mom. I'm so sorry you've had to go through this."

"Thanks Castle. I'm glad I told you too. I still kind of can't believe that you remember me from your book signing though."

"I do Kate, I do remember you. I don't think I could ever forget you. I'm not sure I can really express exactly how you impacted me that day, but you did." Castle bent his head down and placed a light kiss on her lips. She responded to his touch, gently caressing his cheek with her finger tips. After a brief moment they pulled apart and joined hands to walk together, back through the trees.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: The next two chapters are a little shorter, but I felt like it was a lot to put in one, so I split them up. I'm starting to get seriously excited about the rest of the story. We're finally coming up to the part that were the original scenes I pictured in my head when I first got the idea for this little tale of mine. I had no idea when I started that the scenes leading up to this point would develop with such detail, but I've really tried to just let the story take on a life of it's own. So I really hope you are still liking it.**

**Thank you, as always, so much for the reviews and comments. I have been so pleasantly surprised by the support you've all given me - some of the comments have been really touching and I am grateful for you all. Please keep the comments coming, they really are helping me get my writing mojo back :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or the characters...I think maybe they own me :)**

* * *

Castle and Beckett had hoped to arrive back at camp unnoticed. It was early enough that most of the kids would still be in their tents, and though they weren't sure of the other chaperones' morning routines, Castle had convinced himself that few people, if anyone, would be up and about. Walking hand in hand out of the trees, they were surprised to see Miss Travers and Anita standing in the parking lot talking to a police officer. The trio turned to see who was approaching and neither Castle nor Beckett could react in time to prevent them all from seeing their intimate contact.

Castle's eyes were immediately drawn to Anita's cringing stare, while Beckett's focus fell on the trooper, who was unable to hide his curious gaze. Neither saw the hint of a smile that rose on Liz's face, clearly the only one happy to see the budding of a new relationship.

"Rick, Kate, this is Officer Jones," Liz spoke indicating the man standing next to her.

"Trooper Jones. Kate Becket, NYPD." Having noticed the officer's gold collar pin with the letters TRP, the rank insignia used by state police forces, she addressed Jones with his proper rank and held out her hand.

"Officer Beckett," he said simply shaking her hand, his grip firm and strong, his tone of voice and neutral facial expression both masking his impressions. "Mr. Castle," he said to Rick, "I heard you were up here. It's nice to meet you."

Rick looked curiously at the trooper's suggestion that he had known Rick was there, but shrugged it off assuming Liz or Anita had mentioned it. "Good to meet you Trooper Jones. What brings you out here?"

Kate's eyes widened imperceptibly at Castle's question hoping that Jones had been briefed enough to know that only she knew of the investigation that brought him out there. She looked at the trooper, eyebrows slightly raised waiting for his answer.

"Oh, well, I was out doing my usual drive through the area and thought I would stop in and say hello. Madge mentioned earlier in the week that you folks would be out here for a few days. Just checking to see how you're enjoying your time here." Jones' reply was believable, easing Beckett's mind and relaxing the tension that had started building in her neck and shoulders.

"Well, we're having a great time." Castle couldn't stop himself from glancing at Kate before continuing, "It's nice of you to come all this way."

"It's too bad the kids aren't up yet to meet you. Can you stay for breakfast?" Liz asked.

"Oh, thank you ma'am but I'm going to have to be on my way. Like I said, just wanted to say hello."

"Well, that's too bad, but thanks for stopping by. If you'll excuse us, Anita and I were just about to get the kids going. Rick, would you mind checking in on the boys?" Liz asked, making Kate wonder if she knew that Kate might need to talk to Jones privately. _Did someone fill her in on the case?_ Kate guessed that someone from the school could have called her about the Davis' break-in. She decided she would have to follow up with Liz later.

"Sure," Rick said, glancing at Kate, giving her a subtle wink as he turned to walk towards the tents.

Jones eyed the pair again, the curiosity returning to his face. "So, Officer Beckett, everything in order here?"

Kate turned back to the trooper, hoping he wouldn't mock her too much for her obvious flirtation with Castle. Cops were the same everywhere and Beckett knew that even one she had just met would likely have no issue with a little good-natured teasing. But the look on his face suggested that though he knew about them he was not about to mention it directly.

Relieved, and with everyone else gone, Beckett was able to speak freely. "Everything is fine here. I was just going to check in with my precinct to see if there are any updates."

"My sergeant talked to Detective Montgomery an hour ago but everything is status quo. Still no sign of Johnson in Hartford." Jones turned and they started walking to his car. "How's the kid doing?"

"She's fine. I haven't told her anything. I don't want to upset her if I don't have to. Once they catch Johnson, her parents can decide what they want to tell her." As they walked Beckett's eyes wandered over to where Castle was sharing a morning hug with Alexis. She was impossible to miss, her long red hair tied back in a pony tail contrasting with the light blue sweatshirt she wore. Kate's heart melted watching the two banter back and forth, Castle clearly smitten with his adorable daughter.

"You mention anything to the other chaperones?" Jones' tone wasn't accusing, but Kate could tell he was wondering how much she had been sharing with Castle.

She turned quickly to face him, her eyes conveying her conviction. "No. Montgomery and I agreed that there was no need at this time." Her voice came out more harshly than she had intended.

"Hey, I meant no offense Beckett," Jones' retracted, "just getting a sense of the big picture here. I just found out you guys were even here this morning. Sarge filled me in when I clocked in today and sent me right out to check in. I'm just trying to get up to speed."

Kate breathed out annoyed with herself for her reaction. "Of course, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. I'm just tired. I didn't get much sleep last night." When Jones' looked at her with a raised eyebrow at her comment she quickly added, "My mind has been working on overdrive on this case. I'm feeling so useless out here so I sat by the fire all night to keep an eye on Paige, just in case."

"Hey, I didn't say anything," Jones' professional demeanor finally cracked. He raised his hands in mock surrender and laughed.

"Yeah, well you weren't saying anything pretty loudly," she retorted, though she was only half serious.

Jones opened his car door and paused, "Look Beckett," he said getting more somber, "I don't think you have anything to worry about, but with Johnson still on the loose, just stay alert."

"That's the plan," she replied.

"But just in case, you have a gun, right?" Kate's eyes snapped up to meet Jones'. "I mean, I'm sure you won't need it, but, well, just in case. Better safe than sorry, right?"

"Yeah, of course. Yes, I do have my gun. It's locked up in my room. I haven't been taking it with me when we're doing activities, but now that we know Johnson is looking for Paige, I'll keep it with me."

"Okay good. Well, here's my card. If anything looks suspicious, just call the station and they'll send me back out." Jones got in the Crown Victoria and started the engine.

"Thanks," Beckett said to him through his open window.

"I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Officer Beckett, but I really hope I won't have to see you again."

Kate smiled at him and nodded, understanding his meaning, "Me too."

"Well, enjoy your hike today. The view from the suspension bridge is spectacular. Call me if you need anything."

"Thanks for coming by Jones. Stay safe."

Jones smiled at Beckett and slowly drove out of the parking lot. Kate watched for a moment then walked back towards the residence building to get freshened up, since she still hadn't changed out of last night's clothes, and to get her gun.

As she neared the building, Don walked up to her, smiling. "Morning Kate. Who was that you were talking to?" He glanced over her shoulder as the taillights of the cruiser vanished out of sight.

"Oh, um, State Trooper stopped in to say hello. Just doing his rounds." Kate's answer was a little short and Don eyed her warily.

"Everything okay Kate? You seem a little off today."

"I'm fine Don, thanks. I just didn't sleep much last night."

"Oh yes, you and Rick were on patrol duty. Did the kids give you a hard time, or just Rick?" he chuckled, a knowing look on his face.

_God, does everyone know?_ She wondered. "No, the kids were fine. And I went to bed right after you did. Just couldn't sleep."

"Hmm...lots on your mind then?" he asked giving her a wink.

The color rose to her cheeks as Kate struggled to come up with an answer. She really needed more sleep for this. "I...uh..."

Just then Castle came up behind her, placing his hand on the small of her back, sending chills up and down her spine. She jumped slightly from the surprise, not having heard him walk up behind her. "Wow, did I just surprise you?" he asked jokingly. "Man, my stealthy ninja skills must be better than I thought if I could sneak up behind one of New York's finest."

Kate rolled her eyes and glanced at Don who was chuckling at the exchange. "Stealthy ninja skills? Really?"

"Hey, I could be a ninja. I already learned how to use nun chucks," Castle added proudly.

"You learned how to use nun chucks? Seriously?" Kate sounded doubtful.

"No, seriously. I was doing research for a scene in one of my books. I worked with an amazing sensei for a couple of weeks to learn how to use them. I wanted it to be realistic."

Kate and Don both looked at him a little unsure of whether to believe his story or not. But it was clear from his enthusiastic explanation that he was probably telling the truth. "And how many times did you hit yourself in the face with them?" Beckett asked laughing.

Castle feigned offense, "Oh ye of little faith. I actually got pretty good with them...well, by good I don't mean like I could win any competitions or anything, but...you know I could...swing them around pretty good and..." Beckett's and Don's eyebrows got higher and higher with each bumbling explanation Castle suggested until he finally broke. "Okay fine, I hit myself in the face and got a black eye, but trust me, you only do that once before you learn how to keep them under control...or at least farther away from your face."

"Well, I don't think you're going to have to use those skills here Castle. Lucky for us." Kate smiled and winked at Don as Castle hung his head in resignation. "Oh, chin up Castle. Maybe we'll meet a bear on our hike today and you can fashion some nun chucks out of twigs to save us all."

"You think?" Castle lifted his head in hope. He was only partially kidding. Beckett just rolled her eyes again.

* * *

After breakfast, the group had some free time before the hike that would take them a few miles from the campsite where they were to have a picnic lunch. Beckett used the time to shower and put on some comfortable hiking clothes. She attached her gun holster to the back of her belt and pulled on her slightly over-sized heather grey NYPD sweater. It was a little heavy for the weather conditions, but it was the only thing she had thought to bring that would hide the gun from sight. She never thought she would actually end up having to take it out of her room. And at least the sweater had a zipper down the front so she could leave it mostly open. The black dry fit t-shirt she wore underneath would also help to keep her cool as they hiked. Dark green cargo pants and some well worn hiking books completed her outfit.

After her shower, she hadn't had the time to blow dry her hair, so she had pulled it back into a loose braid. She knew as it dried the natural curl in her hair would leave it looking soft around her face, but pulled out of the way and mostly off her neck. She added a light touch of rose colored shadow to her eye lids and some mascara. She bypassed the eyeliner knowing it would just smear as she heated up on the hike. With one last look in the mirror, Kate rolled her eyes at herself for making such an effort to look good for Castle. _God, who am I right now?_ She wondered.

Finally satisfied that she looked at least somewhat presentable, but not so done up that he might notice her efforts, Kate headed out of her room. She made a quick stop into the lounge to check in with Montgomery, but nothing had changed from the previous night. They were still staking out the grandmother's house and had local PD on alert, but no one had seen Johnson since he got on the bus the day before. After more reassurances from Montgomery that they would 'get the dirt bag' as he was so in the habit of saying, Kate hung up and joined the group waiting outside.

* * *

The hike took them all in the opposite direction from their more leisurely walk on the day they arrived at the camp. The goal was to hike about three miles along the river's edge with a couple of stops planned for various activities that allowed the kids to learn about the natural environment. The morning's activities included bird watching, plant identification and berry picking. They would stop for lunch in a clearing near the lake that fed the river Castle and Beckett had seen from their spot high above the valley, and then make their way back to camp along another route, crossing a suspension bridge over a stretch of rapids. All told they would be gone for most of the day, to return in time for dinner.

Castle and Beckett walked together at the back of the group, keeping the stragglers from falling too far behind and especially keeping the rambunctious boys from straying too far off the path. At one point, Castle had wandered off in search of more strawberries, which were just starting to come into season. Kate had lost sight of him for longer than she liked and was just about to go looking for him, when he came stumbling through the trees from an entirely different direction than she had been expecting.

"Castle!" she said with a start.

"I got you again? Man I'm good!" Castle responded laughing as he scared Beckett for a second time.

"I just..." she started but stopped when she realized there was nothing she could say that would make it better. "Where did you go?"

Castle wiggled his eyebrows mischievously at her and held out his hands. "I went to find these." He opened his hands to show her a pile of bright red strawberries. "For you," he added and held them out for her.

She smiled up at him and took the largest berry from the pile. Bringing it slowly to her lips she decided a little payback for scaring her twice was in order. She knew she couldn't likely scare him back but there was one way to make him sweat a little.

As the berry reached her lips, Beckett paused, looked up at Castle seductively and slowly bit down into the fruit. She licked her lips, now slightly stained by the juice of the perfectly ripe strawberry. Castle licked his lips unconsciously and swallowed hard as he watched her chew. Kate took another bite as Castle tried to think of something other than the gentle working of her mouth, the juices moistening her full red lips, the quiet moan she let out as the sweetness burst onto her taste buds.

She reached down and took another berry from the pile and slowly inched closer to him, raising the berry to his mouth. She brushed it over his lips but just as he was about to bite down, she pulled it back. He licked his lips again tasting the sweetness that remained, still unable to form coherent words as he watched her. She put it back to his lips again and just as he was about to bite down again, she pulled it away and popped it into her own mouth.

"Thanks Castle," she said taking one more berry from his hands and turning to walk away, a cheery bounce in her step.

He stared at her, appreciating the curves of her body, only able to whisper a couple of unintelligible sounds. _This would never happen to a ninja,_ he finally thought shaking his head and following after her.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: So this is my favourite chapter to date. I'm not sure why exactly - could be the way the words flowed onto the page without pause, could be the way it built from what I thought would be a few paragraphs into a full-length chapter, could be the way it allowed me to bridge what I've already written with what I know I'm going to write, the connections literally jumping into my head as I wrote. I think it's all of that, plus I love the focus on Beckett's contributions (big and small) to the events here. I LOVED that Castle got to shine in "Target" and "Hunt" but it was hard to watch Beckett just sit in the background at times when she's usually in the lead. I've tried to capture both her strengths and weaknesses here. Hopefully it worked.**

**Please review. I thrive on feedback :)**

**Disclaimer: I will never own Castle. I hope, though, that I've captured it's spirit in the words below.**

* * *

"So, Liz," Castle started after finishing his sandwich and washing it down with the last slurp of his drinking box, "I hear we're crossing a bridge later." There was a slightly nervous tone in his voice that Kate easily picked up on. He might have been successful hiding the apprehension he was feeling to the other chaperones, but Kate could see right through him.

"Oh, yes, it's about three-quarters of the way home," she replied happily. "It's high up over a section of the river that has lots of twists and turns. The river speeds up pretty fast in that area so they put up the bridge to make it easier to cross. And it has a spectacular view of the valley." Liz had such a pleasant way of sharing the details that Castle almost felt okay about crossing the valley high above the river. _Almost._

"Is it...I mean, it's...well maintained?" Castle swallowed thickly trying to calm his anxiety.

"I think the park rangers maintain it. A lot of people come here on weekends to hike, so it gets used a lot. I'm sure it's completely safe. I've walked over it dozens of times," Don offered.

Liz was starting to sense that maybe Castle wasn't so comfortable with the idea of the bridge and tried to reassure him. "But, if there are any problems or if any of the kids don't want to cross there, there's a lower bridge further down the river that we can use. It takes a little longer to get there, but it's not that far out of the way. No one has to use the suspension bridge if they don't want to." Kate noted that Liz phrased her response to suggest that some of the kids might also not feel safe crossing, so Castle wouldn't feel singled out.

"Oh," he replied suddenly relieved that he would have another option if the suspension bridge was too much for him to attempt. "Well, that's good...for the kids I mean..." He looked up at Beckett and blushed for the first time since she'd met him.

Kate actually thought he wasn't capable of truly being embarrassed about anything, but clearly, she could see that her impression was important to him. She smiled reassuringly at him, hoping he'd take it as being supportive, not as pity. When he continued to look chagrined she winked and widened her smile until he finally smiled back sheepishly.

Wanting to give Castle a reprieve from the curious looks the chaperones were throwing him, Kate remembered the surprise she had brought for them in her bag. "Anyone want some coffee?" She looked around to see everyone looking at her in surprise. "I found a couple of thermoses in the lounge and thought I would put them to good use."

Kate reached into her bag and produced two large green carafes and enough large Styrofoam cups for each of them. She'd even managed to find sugar packets and some little milk pots that they bring with your coffee at a diner.

"Wow, Kate, you did it again!" Liz exclaimed excitedly. "Just what I was wishing I had." She grinned happily as Castle passed her the first cup. Kate continued pouring and Castle handed the cups around. As she handed him his own cup, Kate looked up to see Rick smiling at her, an unspoken thanks for changing the topic of conversation. She smiled back and winked again, happy to have taken the heat off him for now. Though she knew once they arrived at the bridge, he would have to decide if he could cross or not. Whatever his decision, Kate resolved to walk with him.

After an hour, Liz finally announced to the group that it was time to pack up. Counting up the heads she could see, Liz realized that a few were missing. Walking up to Rick and Kate who had been relaxing in a quiet spot by the water's edge she asked, "Rick, have you seen Alexis?"

The couple looked up from their reverie in wonder, "No," Castle replied. "Why? What's wrong? Is she okay?" He got up from the beach, brushing the sand lightly from his pants and looking around at the kids collecting their garbage. Kate stood as well and surveyed the group but couldn't see Alexis anywhere.

"Alexis and a couple other girls seem to have wandered away. Do you mind going to look for them?"

"Sure. I'm sure they haven't wandered far. Alexis would know to stay close by. Kate would you...?" Castle turned to look to Kate, about to ask for her help, but the look on her face stopped him in his tracks. "Kate...?" He couldn't quite form a question, not sure what her look was about.

Kate's heart had sunk to the pit of her stomach as she searched the group, "Liz, you said a few others. Who else is missing?" Kate's mouth had gone dry as she realized that Paige was also nowhere to be seen either.

"Um, Kelsey and Taylor are also gone," Liz replied.

Kate looked at Liz pointedly asking, "What about Paige, is she with them? I don't see her." She was trying to keep calm but a feeling of dread was quickly growing in her.

Liz looked around again shrugging, "I- I think she must be with them too. I don't see her."

"Okay, we'll go find them. Come on Castle." Kate started walking briskly towards the trees to start the search, the feeling of her gun pressed against her back a comfort. Castle rushed behind her trying to catch up, a confused look on his face.

"Kate? Is something wrong? What's wrong?" He still wasn't sure what the right question was to ask her about her reaction. _Why is she so worried about Paige?_ As they stepped into the woods, Castle finally caught up with Beckett and put his hand on her arm to stop her. "Kate. Hey, what's going on?"

Realizing how strange it must have looked that she was so concerned for Paige, and not wanting to let Castle in on anything until she was sure they were really missing, Kate tried to cover the stress she was now feeling. "What? Nothing, just worried about the girls. Aren't you?" She didn't like throwing the question at him. It was almost too accusing, but she needed to get him moving again so they could find the girls without wasting any more time.

"What? Of course I'm worried, but I trust Alexis. They're not far. We'll find them." He eyed her warily, not so sure he liked her tone but he could tell there was more to this than just being a concerned chaperone. She was trying to hide it but Kate was really worried. He could see it in her eyes, the way they narrowed just slightly, and her brow crinkled a bit in the middle of her forehead. He hadn't seen the look on her face before to know for sure, but he was good at reading people and there was something more to this, something she wasn't going to, or couldn't, share.

"Of course," she said, her look softening a bit. "It's just the cop in me taking over. I'm sure we'll find them. I just...I don't want them to get too far."

"Okay, if you're sure that's it," he hesitated before looking away from her, out into the trees to see if he could spy them. "Well, we better get looking then."

After walking for a few minutes and calling the girls' names, Kate finally suggested they split up, allowing them to cover more ground separately. They agreed on a search pattern that would take them away from each other on an angle, then back together again, so they could stay in regular contact and not get lost themselves.

Kate walked quickly, her eyes scanning every inch of the forest, a silent prayer going unvoiced that the girls did just wander off, that there was no sinister plot behind their disappearance. She climbed over fallen trees, skirted large moss-covered boulders and dodged low-hanging branches, all the while calling out in hopes the girls would hear her and call back.

Suddenly Kate stopped still, her breath coming in short gasps from the exertion, her ears perked up at a sound in the distance. She stopped her breathing and willed her heart to stop beating so loudly in her ears, picking up again on the noise up ahead. She climbed up on a large fallen tree trunk and looked over the crest of the hill in front of her and finally saw the beacon of hope she had been searching for. There up ahead was a bright pink backpack, glowing in the muted light of the forest against a bright blue sweatshirt. _Alexis._

"Alexis! Alexis!" She called out and bolted from her perch on the trunk. She scampered up the small hill and reaching the top, looked in the direction of where she had seen the bag, but it was gone. Bewildered, her eyes scanning wildly, images of her dream came crashing back to her. _The forest, the child running, her mother's body on the ground, Castle._ It was overwhelming and her mind started spinning again, just like it had that morning. She tried to gain her bearings but couldn't shake the images flooding her mind. She opened and closed her mouth, trying to form words, but coming up short.

A movement in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned slowly. "Kate! Kate did you find...? Kate..." Castle came running up to her, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he slowed and finally reached her. "Kate, did you find them? Where...? Kate? What's wrong?" He grabbed her arms and squeezed. She looked into his eyes, snapped back into reality by his touch and his voice. Her tether to the world.

He felt a moment of déjà vu at seeing the look on her face, the look he had seen when she finally was able to let go of him this morning after her nightmare. A look of panic, worry, and confusion mixed with enough fear to make his breath catch. A look he hadn't ever wanted to see again and here it was, on her face, as they searched for his daughter.

"Kate, did you find them?" He asked again trying to bring her out of her fog. "Kate, I heard you call Alexis' name, did you see her?" He was torn between helping Kate and looking for his daughter, whom over the past few minutes of fruitless searching he was now really quite worried about. He tore his gaze away from her, still grasping her arms, and looked in the direction she had been staring at. He squinted his eyes, finally seeing what she had seen, then lost again. _The backpack. Only Alexis had a bright pink backpack._

"Alexis!" Castle called out as loud as he could and finally released Kate to run in the direction he had seen his child. "Alexis!" Castle ran as quickly as he could in hopes that what he had seen was not just an illusion, a trick of the mind like some forest mirage. He called her name over and over until she finally poked her head out from behind a tree, and called out to him.

"Dad!" She took a few steps to meet him and jumped into his waiting arms. He gripped her so tight to his chest, never wanting to let her go.

"Alexis, oh my god, you're okay. Thank god you're okay. What happened? Why did you wander off? I'm so glad I found you." He kissed her hair over and over, just to reassure himself that she actually was in his arms.

Kate watched frozen for a moment before she was finally able to move her feet and head after him, slowly at first, but then gaining speed as she chased. When she finally caught up to Castle, Kate realized why she had lost sight of the backpack earlier. There before her, the girls had moved behind a couple of large trees that had blocked them from her previous vantage point. She stared down at Castle, surrounded by the throng of girls that had each thrown their arms around him in gratitude. They were standing huddled together, hugging him tightly, Alexis, Kelsey, Taylor...and Paige.

_Oh thank god._ Beckett finally released a breath she had been holding for an eternity. Her heart still raced from the adrenaline coursing through her veins but her long deep breaths were helping to ease the tension. Clutching her hand over her heart she managed to voice in relief, "Girls! Oh my gosh, you're okay. You scared us. Are you okay?" They all looked up, the relief on their faces matching hers.

Alexis finally spoke up, "Officer Beckett, we're so glad you found us. We just went looking for more strawberries. Kelsey thought she had seen some earlier on our way to the lake and we were just trying to find them, but then we got all turned around and we couldn't find our way back. We realized we were lost, but we didn't know what to do. But then I remembered how you told us that if we ever got lost in the forest, we should just stay where we were and not walk any further, in case we just got farther away. So we stopped. As soon as we knew we were lost we stopped. And we stayed right here. We did just what you told us. And I knew you'd find us, Officer Beckett, I knew you would."

Alexis and the girls let go of Castle and swarmed Kate with grateful hugs, relief washing over her she hugged them right back and closed her eyes breathing deeply. When she finally opened her eyes, she was staring right at Castle, his eyes moist with emotion. Without even thinking, he moved forward and joined the group hug, one hand gripping Alexis and one wrapping firmly around Kate's back.

"Thank you, Kate. You saved them. You saved my little girl. Thank you," he whispered, his voice husky and low.

Kate threw her arm around Castle's shoulders and turned her head to nuzzle her cheek against his neck and kissed him lightly. Though he was thanking her, Kate was silently thanking him for bringing her out of her waking nightmare. Kate wasn't used to not being in control of herself, at least not when others were around. She often found herself falling apart in the privacy of her own apartment when she was working on a case that resembled her mother's, or after having to deal with her father on a bender, or on the anniversary of her mother's death. In those moments, there was no one to see her there. But that also meant there was no one to catch her from falling too far. As much as she wasn't used to losing control, she also wasn't used to having someone to lean on.

Finally as the group broke apart, Beckett released her hold on him, but he wouldn't let go. They pointed the girls in the right direction and started back towards the lake. Rick had left his arm draped across Kate's shoulder keeping her close, and every so often squeezing her tighter or kissing her hair. Feeling so relieved by finding the girls and from Castle's maintained contact, she finally relaxed enough to put her arm around his waist and squeeze him back. This caused him to smile down at her and when she looked up at him, he leaned down quickly and stole a kiss, knowing that the girls weren't looking. "Thank you," he said again simply.

"Castle, you really have nothing to thank me for. You helped find them too."

"Yeah, but you taught them what to do if they got lost in the forest, and you saw Alexis' backpack." Rick suddenly remembered how Kate had been standing on the hill in the woods, staring motionless lost in a trance when he found her. "Kate, um...about earlier...after you saw Alexis..." He wasn't quite sure how to say what he was thinking.

"Castle, I'm fine. I am. It's just, when I ran up that hill and Alexis was gone, well, it just reminded me of my dream this morning. But then you came and you brought me back. Really I'm the one that should be thanking you. Again."

Castle pondered her a moment before finally saying, "Well, then I guess we're even."

Kate looked up and smiled and pulled him closer to her, leaning her head against his chest as they walked. Up ahead they could see the girls finally rejoining the rest of the group, hugging their classmates and the other chaperones with delight at their return.


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: My greatest apologies for taking so long on this chapter! I hadn't actually intended to write this at all, and was working away on the next one, but felt that this really needed to happen. It's much more angsty [is that even a word?] than anything I've ever written and I really struggled with it. I think getting inside the characters' heads caused me to get too much in my own head. I basically wrote it and then rewrote entire sections and moved so many things around to get it right that my head started swimming. Hopefully the next chapters will follow more quickly as the story changes from the dramatic to the suspenseful, I think my writing mood will change with it...I hope!**

**My thanks go to TheGreyWolfGhost who gave me some much needed and very useful advice. What a great community this is where complete strangers will respond to frantic emails with such encouragement and kindness. :)**

**I would love to hear more reviews. I read every one and try to incorporate all your great ideas. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. But I really love writing about it.**

* * *

They had been walking silently for a while. Assigned again to the end of the long line of children animatedly making their way along the path in the woods, like the caboose that follows behind, keeping the rest of the cars on track. Castle and Beckett had fallen into a mostly comfortable silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Kate's thoughts centered on the case of Paige's father, whereabouts unknown. She worked through what they knew about him, little as it was, over and over in her mind, not because she thought she would be able to come up with some new clue that would help shed some light on his disappearance, but because it prevented her from having to think about Paige's mother and the circumstances of her death. Every time Kate thought about Paige's mother, she inevitably thought about her dream, and about her own mother.

But Kate knew that now was not the time for that. Kate knew that she needed to stay more focused, not just for the kids she was supposed to be here to help, but for her own sanity. And so, she was keeping her eye trained much more intently on Paige. Her gaze was actually unwavering. Perhaps bordering on obsessive, given that she still had no real reason to believe that the child was actually in any danger. But having lost Paige once, seeing how vulnerable they really were out here, she had now committed to not letting it happen again. If there was even the slightest chance that she was in danger, Kate was now completely devoted to keeping Paige as safe as humanly possible. And so, from behind the group, she stared.

Castle was staring too, but not at Paige. Castle's gaze had, for the last several minutes, been focused on Kate. His face was void of the myriad of emotions he was feeling, and he was trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, but truly he was outright staring. Since the group had started back on the path, after the cheers and hugs and thanks from both the kids and the chaperones at finding the missing girls, Castle had been ruminating on a variety of thoughts, all circling the topic of Kate Beckett.

Castle found that the more time he spent with her, the more fascinated by her he became. She was like a puzzle that he wasn't sure he would ever solve, the living embodiment of a contradiction. She was fierce and dedicated as a police officer, which he saw firsthand when they discovered that the girls were missing. He had already been impressed by the way her thoughts seemed to always fall back to the investigation she had left behind in the city, dedicated even in her vacation time...well, sort of vacation time, or, at least time away from the precinct...but her drive to find the missing girls allowed him to see her truly in her element. She would be a formidable detective one day, relentless in her efforts to solve cases.

But she was also fragile and wounded. Not weak, but somehow...incomplete. It was like a piece of her was always on the verge being distracted by the memories of her tragic losses. He was sure that at times it took a lot of focus to maintain her composure, to stay afloat. He wondered how often she felt herself drowning in those memories or whether it was all distant enough in her past that it was now just a series of images in the background. He suspected that she didn't let it affect her often, but when it did, it was all-encompassing. He saw that firsthand too, when she froze on the hill. On the hill she had lost her focus, the images brought up in her dream coming to the forefront, taking over as all sense of reason crumbled.

Thinking about it now, Castle wondered what had really caused her to even have such a terrible dream in the first place. _Why here? Why now? What had _actually_ triggered the dream?_

She had told him a few things about what happened to her mother, but he wasn't sure he knew enough to figure out what she was going through right now. Her mother had died four years ago, and not that he thought she would ever forget about it, but after four years, after working so hard to get her life together, he assumed that maybe the intensity of it all might have faded. Was it still so close to the surface that something small could bring it all crashing down around her? He didn't think so. This was a big event, and a powerful dream, and something like that doesn't just come up for some small reason. No, there had to be something more that had triggered her memories of that terrible event, something more recent. Something he had sensed earlier that she was holding back from him. Something about her mother's case.

The writer in Castle started to spin theories. It was possible that she had been working on her own to solve her mother's case. She said herself that she didn't believe when the police had attributed it to gang violence. She did have the opportunity now, the access to information, the understanding of the system that had failed her once before. But even if she was trying to figure out what really happened to her mother, that didn't really explain why she had the dream this morning. It didn't explain how the memories had come so close to the surface that she could lose her focus as she searched for the missing girls.

It could be that her current case was somehow related to her mother's death. But if that was the situation, she would be home, not here running around in the woods. He didn't know her that well yet, but he believed that if the two cases were actually linked, she would be at the precinct until she knew the truth and no one would be able to stop her. No, it wasn't likely that.

Then another thought struck him. Maybe it wasn't that her current case and her mother's were linked, but maybe they were somehow similar. As a cop she had to have seen more than her share of troubling cases. If she let each one affect her like this, she never would have made it through the academy, let alone three years on the force. But if this one specific case reminded her of her mother's death, getting regular updates from her boss could have triggered her dream. Unfortunately, he just didn't have enough of the facts yet to figure it out.

Putting aside his unfounded conjecture, he turned his attention to her current state. He could see that her momentary lapse in focus earlier was still having an effect on her, even now, despite the fact that everyone was safe. He could see it as he watched her face, her eyes resolutely trained on the four girls up ahead. Her gaze had barely wavered from them since they started walking again, and the only time it did was to scan the woods around them. It was in one of these moments, as her eyes roamed the forest grid by grid, that she finally caught him staring at her.

Not even slowing the sweep of her eyes as they worked through the search pattern, she finally commented, "Castle, you're staring. It's creepy."

A blush rose to his face. Outed, embarrassed, he replied quietly, "Sorry. Can't help it."

Beckett glanced at him quickly before returning her eyes to the girls. She willed herself to stay focused chiding herself for having let him distract her so thoroughly over the past couple of days. She felt they got lucky that the girls were all okay after their adventure but things could have turned out much worse. It was just, well, he was just so damned distracting, but she had a job to do. She was attracted to him, yes. She felt a strong connection to him, yes. She could fall in love with him..._wait what? Oh, who am I kidding, yes._ But there was a time and place for that - at least she hoped there would be a time and place for that - but it wasn't now. "Castle you're very distracting," she said matter-of-factly.

The blush eased from his face and he quipped back jokingly, "Sounds like a compliment to me." He smiled, and waited, hoping to draw her eyes back to him, but she didn't turn.

Finally she gave in with a small smile, realizing he was waiting for her to respond. "It's only half a compliment."

"What's the other half?"

"It's...distracting. I'm trying to stay focused And you seem to be doing everything in your power to keep me from doing that." She was having a hard time keeping the smile from lighting her face but she was also getting frustrated with him.

"What was I doing?"

"You're...staring."

"Well...you're staring too you know." Kate's brow knitted, a look of consternation crossing her face. She tried not to look at him but it was getting increasingly difficult. "You know, Kate, they're not going to wander off again. None of them is after that scare. Look at them, sure they're having fun still, and joking around, and being silly, but look how much closer they all are. None of the boys are running off the path to play Hunger Games, and none of the girls are searching for berries and flowers like they were before. They're all right there. They're all safe."

Kate ignored for the moment the completely gender-biased activities he had assigned to the kids. She knew the essence of what he was saying was true, but he also didn't know what she did. Now that her case was connected to this group, and now that she'd seen what could happen when she let her guard down, she wasn't about to let it happen again. But how could she explain that to him, without giving something away? "Sorry Castle, it's the cop in me."

"But Beckett, there's nothing to worry about now. You can let yourself relax. It's okay now."

"Castle, look what happens when I let myself relax. Kids went missing. On my watch. I got distracted, you distracted me, and look what happened." The frustration in her was finally winning out. But she had started so harshly, too harshly, and as the words came out of her mouth she realized what she was saying, how he might take it. She tried to soften the words. By the end it was almost a whisper, "I'm not going to let it happen again."

"Hang on a second, are you saying it's _my_ fault the girls went missing?" His tone had turned to match her frustration.

"No, that's not what I'm saying." God, she was bad at this. _Why am I always so bad at this?_ "I'm saying I let myself get distracted and nothing good ever happens when I let myself do that. Sometimes I let myself get wrapped up too much in things and then..."

Castle jumped in cutting her off, "Kate, are you saying that what's been happening between us isn't good? That you're too wrapped up in me? In us?" His pace had slowed and he was falling behind as he watched her in concerned silence, trying to figure her out. _How can something that feels so right not be good? It was good right? Yeah, yeah it was good._ Castle's mind raced as he watched her pulling away from him.

Finally Kate slowed her pace to match his but she refused to take her eyes away from Paige. She took some time to gather her thoughts, her shoulders slumping forward as she searched for the right way to explain. Everything was coming out wrong, he was taking it all wrong. Before she could voice the words that were slowly materializing in her mind, Castle grabbed her arm and spun her towards him, stopping their forward movement. "Kate, look at me. Are you saying you don't want..." He paused as he realized her eyes were still focused on the kids up ahead. "Kate," he said again more insistently and her eyes flashed briefly to him.

Castle _knew_ that she felt something for him, deep in his soul he _knew_ they had a connection. How else would he have remembered her from three years ago? Wasn't it fate that had stepped in to bring them together again in this time, in this place? Hadn't she felt that too? He knew she did, so why all of a sudden did it feel like she was backing away now?

While Castle was questioning her motives, Kate was fighting a battle in her head. Her eyes moved back and forth between him and the kids up ahead, like she was watching a tennis match. She just couldn't bring herself to focus on him completely. _Why is this so hard? _She could feel the emotion building in her as the fight between her head and her heart brought stinging moisture to her eyes.

"Kate, look at me. What are you saying?" The insistent and pleading sound of his voice finally took hold, allowing her heart to win out. She stopped her searching eyes and stared at him fully. "Are you saying you don't want to be with me?" He whispered, sounding like he'd lost his first love, in fact, almost feeling that way too.

"Castle," she started, unsure what to say. She wanted to make it right, but at the same time, her head had not completely given up the fight to get her to focus on Paige. "Castle," she said again softly, bringing her hand to his face to comfort him. He turned slightly, leaning into the reassurance her touch brought to him. "No Castle, I'm not saying I don't want to be with you. I'm not saying that at all. I'm just saying that right now, right in this moment, I need to focus on them." She looked away for a moment, partly to indicate to whom she was referring, and partly to check that they were still there. Her tone was firm, but not uncaring.

She looked back up at him, brushing the hair that had fallen down adorably over his forehead. "It's my job Castle. You need to understand that this is a big part of who I am, and I can't just turn it off. I just...I have a job here, a job that I take very seriously but that I've let fall to the background of my attention because in the forefront was you. And I'm not saying I regret anything or that I don't want to see where this might go, but I have to concentrate on my job when I'm working or bad things can happen. And if you can't handle that then I understand. But I hope that's not how you feel." She reached up on her tip-toes and planted one soft, quick kiss on his cheek. She lingered a moment, rubbing the side of her nose against his, hoping that he would understand. As her feet returned firmly to ground, she turned and started walking again to catch up to the group. After a moment she realized he wasn't following so she paused and turned to face him, silently praying that he hadn't changed his mind about her. "Castle?" She held out her hand, hoping he would take it.

He stood considering her words. They weren't a glowing, romantic endorsement of her feelings but they were close, maybe as close as she could get right now, and she did kiss him, and now she was smiling, though she also looked nervous. And could he really fault her for how she was feeling? They had gotten very close very quickly. Not that it seemed either of them minded, but she was right, she was working here. He believed that she meant what she said, but at the same time, he still couldn't help but wonder what it was that she wasn't telling him. He knew this was her job, but it did seem rather sudden that keeping an eye on the kids was so important. She hadn't been this focused on it even when she first arrived at camp. Something was definitely different now. She was holding something back.

Finally Castle surmised that the girls wandering off had really affected Kate more than he thought. That maybe the fear they had felt as they searched had been a wake up call of sorts. Ultimately he resigned himself to the fact that she was actually right, that they were supposed to be there for the kids, not for each other. And she did say that she wanted to see where this might go. He wanted that too. He realized that if this was going to work, he was just going to have to trust her, that if she was in fact holding something back from him, that she had good reason. He walked towards her, grabbed her outstretched hand and they picked up their pace to catch up with the group ahead.

Again, they walked in silence. Kate was relieved that Castle had accepted her explanation about her change in attitude. What she had said to him was all very true, minus the omission of her case connecting to Paige, and she really did want to make this work with him. He was different from other guys she had dated, already their connection was deeper than she had shared with most of the others. In the last two days she had told him more about herself than several of her previous boyfriends ever knew, but if she hadn't had the dream, she wasn't sure he would know those things yet. She was scared to let him through the walls she had built up because her experience had been that the people she had needed the most had left her. He seemed though to have a way of just showing up inside her walls, whether she had consciously let him in or not. And regardless of her relationship with Castle, she needed to make sure that she didn't let down those people who were counting on her. She needed to find the right balance.

Kate returned her gaze to the girls, Alexis' bright pink backpack giving her eyes a beacon on which to focus. After their adventure, Kate was reasonably sure that the girls would cling together, so where Alexis was, Paige was, and the brightness of that backpack cut through the greens and browns of the forest like a ray of sunlight shining through the trees. Focus re-established, she returned her thoughts to the details of the case, her eyes again scanning the forest intermittently.

Castle resumed his contemplations as well. Despite coming to the conclusion that he had to trust her, Castle's thoughts still swirled around what she had just said, unasked questions flitting in and out of his mind. He wondered what it must be like for her, to work in a job where she had to be on guard all the time. She lived in a world where adrenaline could be your best friend or your worst enemy, either allowing you to work at peak efficiency or causing you to break from the strain. He wondered how a person could ever really relax from a life spent on the edge. He wondered if she could ever really pull herself away from it, to give herself a break, or whether she just stayed immersed in it all the time. He wondered how she spent her off hours, what few she might allow herself, and whether there was even room for him in her life.

He glanced sidelong at her, wondering what a future with Kate Beckett would really look like. Would she be late getting home, working overtime to track down a suspect? Would her mind be constantly working through the details of an investigation, even when she was supposed to be off-duty? Would she rush out of his bed in the middle of the night to take a new case? Would that be the way it always was? A frown deepened across his features as he quickly talked himself into a funk, the reality of her life slowly dawning on him. He couldn't tell if he was being over-dramatic, sabotaging their future before they even really had a present, or if he was just being realistic. Castle's eyes lowered to stare at the ground as they walked, his mood sinking swiftly.

Eventually, he became distracted by the swing of their hands as they glided in and out of his field of vision, a new perspective slowly forming. Even though she had continued working through the details of her case, Kate had, a few times, allowed herself the freedom to focus completely on him. He knew that she was right, being a cop was truly a part of who she was and there would probably always be a piece of her mind working through a case. But was she really so different from him? He, himself, spent countless hours focused on his latest book idea, working through the details of the case, figuring out the clues. When inspiration struck, he became so engrossed in his writing that he lost all concept of time and space...and food...and sleep. He missed entire conversations with his mother, his publisher, his agent, even sometimes with Alexis, as he worked through a particularly challenging scene in his head. He sat in his office pecking at his keyboard into the wee hours of the morning, his bed often untouched for days. Maybe they weren't so different after all. _Hmm._ He kind of liked that.

Castle did feel that Kate was pulling back from him. Not fully, not even openly, but there was something she wasn't saying. But could he truly expect her to share every detail of her life with him after just two days? There was so much about him that she didn't know, so how could he fairly expect her to tell him everything, especially when she had already shared so much. Perhaps this was just her way of finding the balance between her job and her life. And weren't relationships all about taking the time to get to know each other? If he was just learning to trust her, wasn't she also just learning to trust him? If he could just be patient with her, allow her to find her equilibrium now, then maybe, when they finally went back to their real lives, they would be able to find their way together.

_If I can just be patient...what are the odds?_

"You're quiet." She finally broke the silence, allowing herself a few minutes to share her focus between the girls and Castle, still searching for the balance. When he didn't respond, she squeezed his hand. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Hmmm?" He looked up to find her staring at him with a look of curiosity. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"Are you okay? You've been really quiet."

"What? No, yeah, no, I'm fine. Just thinking."

"About what?" He had a inquisitive look on his face. She was thankful that he didn't look upset or angry, assuming that she must have done at least an okay job of explaining herself, but she could see that he was definitely working something through.

"I was actually just thinking how similar our lives are," he replied simply.

"Similar? You think our lives are similar? Castle, I'm a cop, you're a writer, where's the similarity?" She was surprised by his words and really curious to see how he could make such a connection.

"Well, for one, we both live to solve mysteries. Granted I create the mysteries first then solve them," he said chuckling, "but at some point we both have to work through the details to make sure the pieces fit." Beckett had to concede that he made a valid point. "Then there's your focus. Like you said, when you have a job to do, you can't allow yourself to lose focus, to let yourself get distracted."

"Castle, I didn't mean..."

"No, no, it's okay Beckett. I'm not mad, I actually get what you're saying. When I get inspired to write, or, and I don't like to admit this actually happens so if you breathe a word of it I'll deny it, if I'm facing a particularly challenging writer's block, there's very few things that can actually pull me out of my head. I become completely absorbed. Actually, that's kind of how I ended up here this week."

"What do you mean?"

Castle laughed lightly at the memory. He told Kate the story of how Alexis had found him lost in thought, staring into the freezer the day she had asked him to be a chaperone on the trip. How she had come into the apartment, walked right up to him, and he hadn't even heard her. How he had agreed to come, without even realizing what he was agreeing to, simply because he was so engrossed by thoughts of his writer's block.

"You're kidding," she laughed back at him, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"I kid you not. I get consumed sometimes by my work. I don't sleep, I forget to eat, sometimes I even forget to shower," Castle admitted.

"Well, make sure to warn me when that happens so I know not to come over until you do," Beckett replied without thinking.

Castle looked up at her mischievously, a teasing smile on his face, "Why Detective Beckett, did you just invite yourself over to my apartment?"

Her voice caught in her throat at his insinuation and bright red blush rose to her cheeks but she quickly recovered. "Well not if you haven't showered."

He laughed out loud, enjoying, not for the first time, the way she could keep up with his banter. "You know, though, I think the way we're most alike is our dedication to our jobs." She looked up at him as he continued his list of their similarities. "When I'm writing, I can't allow myself to do a half-assed job. If it isn't perfect, then it isn't done."

"Are you saying you're perfect, Castle?" Kate teased.

"No, I'm saying that I set a really high standard for myself, and if I don't feel like I'm living up to it, then I don't let myself off the hook for it." His voice had taken on a tone of pride. He wasn't being boastful, just honest. Kate found it refreshing to hear him talk about his work this way. So often on the police force, she encountered cops who only did the bare minimum in their jobs. Somewhere along the way they had lost their dedication to getting justice for their victims and it frustrated Kate regularly. It was nice to hear that there were people in the world who took their jobs as seriously as she did, who didn't rest until they got it right.

"So what are you saying Castle, you think you could be a cop?"

"Oh, I don't know Beckett," he replied. "Not sure I could handle all the donuts and bad coffee. I think I'm pretty happy being a writer...though it might be kind of fun to follow you around for a few days and watch you fighting crime on the mean streets of New York. Think when we get back to the city I could go on a ride along?" Castle raised his eyebrows as a look of excitement at the prospect crossed his face.

"Yeah, I don't think that's such a good idea," she replied. The thought of him trailing around behind her as she tried to work did not paint a happy picture for Beckett. In fact, she thought he would likely end up being downright annoying. She could already sense he was probably the kind of guy who would ask a million ridiculous questions and want to play with the lights and the siren. No, that would not be a fun day at work.

"Oh, come on Beckett. Please! It would be a great way to do research for my next book."

"Your next book? So I take it you've worked through your writer's block? Not that you ever have that," she added quickly when he looked up at her pointedly.

"Yes, actually I think I may have at least found inspiration for a new character. A ride-along would be a totally awesome way to figure her out more. I would totally blend in, you'd never even know I was there. It would be great research. Please, please, please?" Now he truly was acting like a kid. _Yep, he's gonna be totally annoying._

He stared pleadingly at her, tugging at her hand, begging for the chance to follow her around. She realized pretty quickly he wasn't going to drop it so she finally conceded, "Okay, fine, Castle. You can follow me around. But just for one shift."

His grin spoke volumes as the excitement of a day shadowing her bubbled over. _Ugh, I am _so_ going to regret this,_ she thought, but laughed at the site of him now skipping along beside her.

He continued to skip along happily, holding her hand, enjoying the warmth of the sun through the trees. Kate was amazed at how his mood could turn around so quickly. Clearly he was not one for holding a grudge or dwelling on things. She kind of liked that about him, realizing that although he could be serious if needed, his instinct was to find the joy in life and to keep things light. With the darkness she often encountered in her job, it dawned on her that he might actually be able to give her that balance she was looking for, that the craziness of his personality and their new romance could actually help her become more balanced instead of less. She loved their banter back and forth and his sense of humor, sometimes dry, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes just silly, made her feel completely comfortable with him. And even though he could be utterly childish and annoying, it was part of what made him such a wonderful father, and frankly it might be just what she needed in her life.

Suddenly she paused, a thought bubbling to the surface, "Wait a minute. This character you're writing, it's a she? And she's a cop? Castle, you're not..." Beckett's gaze broke from the girls up ahead for a moment to stare at Castle with concern about what exactly he was planning. It was just in this moment, however, that Castle stopped, dead in his tracks, mouth agape, eyes wide. "Castle...? What's wrong?"

She was completely at a loss for his sudden change in demeanor. _Paige? Where's Paige?_ She thought as she frantically turned to search for the girls.

But she was there, they were all there, up ahead in a clearing. They too had stopped still, talking together in hushed whispers, staring straight ahead. Craning her neck to look past the kids, Kate could finally see what had so fully captured everyone's attention. Several feet away, spanning across the chasm ahead, hung the suspension bridge.

Castle had seen it as they had approached the clearing and it had literally stopped him in his tracks. His memories of their recent climbing adventure were brought to the forefront of his mind, only this seemed worse. Much, much worse. There were no harnesses to strap into or ropes to keep you from falling. From Castle's perspective, it was just a bunch of cables and ropes and wooden planks and looked far too unstable for crossing.

Castle's legs felt like they weighed a thousand pounds each and his mouth had gone dry. He hated himself for being so afraid of a simple wooden bridge, but irrational as his fear was, he couldn't stop it. He let out a long low groan. Kate squeezed his hand as reassuringly as she could.

"It's going to be okay Castle." He looked up at her, disbelief and fear plastered across his face. She smiled supportively, but it didn't seem to help. Castle just turned back to face the challenge in front of him and silently he thought,_ This is not going to go well_.


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: I'm so excited to finally be publishing this chapter! This was the first scene in my head when I got the original idea for this story. This scene was what I saw, and everything up until now developed to help set the scene for it. After watching "Target" and "Hunt" I worried that maybe it would be hard to write this without drawing too much material from Castle's reactions in those episodes, but it turned out that the focus here was really more on Kate, with just a little of Rick. So, those eps actually really helped me to figure out just what he might say here. I really hope you like it!**

**As always I would really value any constructive feedback you have for my writing. I feel like every comment I've read has helped to make me better, so I thank you all, and I welcome more!**

**Disclaimer: Castle is only mine in my head, and even then only for the briefest moments until I remember that AWM is just so much better at this than me :)**

* * *

As Castle looked out over the wide expanse in front of him he noticed a wall of clouds slowly moving towards them. The dark grey swells matched his mood perfectly as he contemplated how exactly he was going to make it through the next few minutes. Miss Travers and Anita and most of the kids had worked their way across the suspension bridge successfully and were now waiting on the other side of the valley for the rest of the group. One by one, the students managed to walk across the planks, some tentatively, some excitedly, but they all made it across. Despite the evidence to the contrary, Castle was still worried that the bridge was not safe.

Kate, being of level head, examined the bridge as well, hoping to find evidence that might help to reassure Castle. The bridge had been constructed of a combination of sturdy cables and thick rope suspended from four giant wood poles secured deep under ground, two on each side of the valley. Spanning the chasm, the bridge struck out from the edges of a relatively steep dropoff, high above the river, which twisted and raced along the valley floor below.

The walkway of the bridge was made of planks of wood, each about a foot and a half wide and about four feet long. They stretched from one side of the valley to the other, which Kate guessed was approximately thirty or forty feet.

As she looked at the landscape around them, Kate realized that this was the narrowest part of the valley for quite a distance, though further down the river she could see the alternate bridge Miss Travers had mentioned earlier. It was a more stable looking bridge for sure. Constructed directly on the valley floor out of wood and cement, it rose several feet above the river, and was wide enough to allow ATVs, in the summer, and snowmobiles, in the winter, to cross. It would have been further out of their way to cross that bridge, and would not have allowed for the spectacular view they had from this high up in the valley, but it was an option if Castle needed it.

As she examined each plank before them, Kate noticed that some did look more worn than others, no doubt from countless people crossing back and forth, but they all looked to be reasonably secure. Unlike some suspension bridges, this one did not have additional bracing under each plank, but rather the boards were secured at each end by the cables and ropes. As the students walked along, the bridge creaked and swayed under the weight, but it didn't seem to Kate that there was anything for them to worry about.

"What do you think Castle? Think you can make it?" Kate looked at his worried features as he swallowed thickly.

"Um," his voice cracked and he cleared his throat to try to hide his nerves.

Alexis, standing beside him and holding his hand, smiled with excitement as she waited for her turn to cross. Kate was again impressed by her fearlessness and hoped it would rub off on her father. "Don't worry Dad, you're going to be just fine. Look, Paige is next and then Officer Beckett can go. You can watch them walk and see that it's safe. Then I can walk with you so you're not so scared."

Castle smiled meekly down at his daughter, wishing in this situation that he had her self-assurance. Everything else in life that he had ever faced, he'd done so with confidence, almost to the point of reckless abandon at times, but there was something about not having anything solid under his feet that just set his heart racing. But now, looking down into Alexis' eyes, brimming with excitement, he set his mind to tackling this fear head on. He'd done it at the climbing activities the day before, he was determined now to do it here too.

Paige was halfway across the bridge when Castle was able to take a deep breath and look at Beckett with some sense of clarity and poise. "Okay," he said, sounding more sure than he really was, "let's do this." Kate nodded back at him and started crossing. She was more than halfway across when she looked back to see how Alexis and Castle were doing.

Alexis had struck out ahead of Rick and was nearing the halfway point in the bridge when she stopped to check on her father.

"Dad, look, the bridge is fine. It's totally safe." Alexis was observing Rick who was hesitating over his first step onto the bridge. He looked up at her and watched as she started bouncing lightly on the board she was standing on.

"Alexis, I don't think you should do that. We don't know how old these boards are. Maybe you should just..." Castle had pulled his foot back again to solid ground as he admonished his daughter, trying to get her to take it easy on the old boards.

As Alexis bounced, Kate could feel herself rising up and down like she was on a raft in a wave pool. She watched as Alexis' feet actually lifted up off the boards as she jumped higher and higher, "Alexis," she called gently not wanting to be too hard on the girl, "Alexis..."

Realizing her antics weren't helping her dad, and not wanting to get in trouble, she tried to stop herself, landing hard on the board beneath her.  
_CRACK!_  
Alexis felt her feet land but this time something felt different. As she was trying to stop herself from bouncing, the rippling of the bridge making it difficult, she looked down to where she could now see the wooden plank splitting beneath her feet from the strain of the twisting bridge and her weight pressing down on it. Her head looked up to Castle, terror instantly etched across her features.

"Daddy...?" she said softly as the bridge continued to ripple.

"Alexis!" Castle called out reaching his hand out towards her.

She didn't know why she started, but just in that moment, Kate started running. Maybe it was something in the way that Alexis had suddenly raised her head up to look at her father, her hand raising slightly towards him, maybe it was the crack she heard and felt under her own feet, different from just the rolling of the bouncing bridge, more jarring, maybe it was the way Castle called out to Alexis, his eyes widening in surprise and panic as he realized what was about to happen and knew he couldn't stop it. She didn't know why she started, but before she even realized it, Kate was tearing back across the bridge.

Kate ran full out across the wood planks to where Alexis had stood moments before and was now falling through a hole that had just opened up beneath her. For Kate, it all happened in slow motion. She noted the way Alexis' hair flew up above her head, the loose ponytail billowing and puffing as if a giant fan was blowing from underneath her. She saw the bright pink backpack that had been a beacon to Kate earlier, gradually drop below the floor of the bridge, still attached snugly to Alexis' shoulders. She saw two pale white hands rise slowly up and extend out in an effort to grasp onto anything she could, her survival instincts kicking in.

Kate focused on the hands and the backpack, knowing that she needed to grab hold of at least one of them to save Alexis. Nearing the missing floorboard, Kate took one last step and dove forward, flying horizontally above the boards, stretching out her hands as far as she could. Just in the last possible moment, Kate stuck her hands down through the gaping hole and closed her fingers around every part of Alexis that she could. She landed with a hard thud on the bridge, slamming her chin on a floorboard, the wind getting knocked out of her, but her grasp remained tight. She opened her eyes, tears stinging at the corners and looked down to see Alexis dangling below her. Kate had managed to grab hold of one strap of the backpack with one hand and a fistful of the light blue sweatshirt that so perfectly matched the color of her terrified eyes in the other.

"Alexis!" Kate yelled down to her, as the girl struggled wildly with fear. "Alexis I've got you! I've got you!"

"Daaaaaddyy! Help me!" Alexis shrieked as only a terrified nine-year-old girl could.

"Alexis!" Kate could vaguely make out the sound of Castle's voice, though he had yelled as loud as he could. She was so intent on not letting go that everything else seemed to have shifted to the back of her awareness.

"Alexis!" Kate called again. "Alexis, listen to me. It's Officer Beckett. Please, Alexis, listen. You have to stop twisting. I've got you but you have to stop moving so I can pull you up." Slowly Alexis started to come back to her senses, realizing now that she hadn't actually fallen to the raging river below, that for now, she was still okay. Her left hand grasped Kate's left arm with such ferocity. With her other hand, she held tight to the strap of her backpack.

"Officer Beckett! Don't let me fall! Don't let me fall!" Alexis wailed now at Kate.

"Don't worry Alexis, you're okay. You're not going anywhere. Just take a deep breath and try to hold still." Kate tried to be as reassuring to the girl as she could but her mind was racing. The one thing Kate knew about herself was that in a fight or flight situation, she would always fight, but in this moment, the only thing she could do was hold on as tight as she could, and if she was being honest, she wasn't sure if that was going to be enough.

As she took stock of her grip on Alexis, and her own position on the bridge, Kate felt something change. Alexis' struggles had pulled her farther through the hole, and Kate discovered that she too was slipping. As she slid slowly forward under the weight, Kate splayed her legs out to the sides of the bridge, desperately searching for something to hook onto with her feet, anything that would stop her slow descent. Finally the edge of her shoe caught on a board that sat slightly higher than the one beside it, preventing her from completely falling through the hole.

Somehow, Kate managed to look up, trying to assess her situation. Her eyes locked on Castle, now on the bridge too, slowly trying to make his way towards them. Thankfully, he was being cautious, making sure his steps were secure and the bridge was stable before moving forward. Despite the look of panic on his face, it was clear his only concern was for Alexis' safety, his worries of stepping out onto the bridge now a distant memory.

"Castle, be careful...but hurry... I've got her, but...uugh" Kate groaned through clenched teeth that mimicked the force of the grip of her fingers, as she struggled to maintain her hold. As the sweat built up on her hands the fabric of Alexis' sweatshirt slowly began to slip. Kate looked down into Alexis' eyes realizing that she too felt the subtle change.

The face staring up at her was like nothing Kate had seen before. The sheer panic on her face, the way her eyes bore pleadingly into Kate's, the trail of tears streaming down her cheeks, caused Kate's eyes to water as well. She blinked hard to clear her vision and control her emotions. If she was going to get them out of this, she had to stay in control. Kate tightened her grip as best she could, holding her breath in hope that it would help her to hold tight to Alexis.

"Castle...?" Kate called out as he arrived, her voice rising in pitch as she continued gritting her teeth together. "Castle, I've got her but you've got to help me. She's starting to slip."

"Kate! Alexis...I'm here baby, just hold on." Castle tried to be as reassuring as he could, but then Kate heard him pleading a whisper, "Please."

Castle lay down on his stomach on the boards across from where Kate still lay, her arms and head, and now shoulders and part of her upper body filling the hole. If Castle had asked her, Kate would tell him she had no idea that she had slipped that far. He surveyed the situation, trying to figure out how best to help.

"Kate," he said to her, only loud enough for her to hear, "Kate, I can't reach through the hole, there's no room to get my arm through."

"I can't pull myself up Castle. If I let go to grab the boards I'll drop her. I can't...I'm not letting go of her. You've got to pull me back out. I can hold her...just... you've got to pull us out." Kate was breathing hard now, realizing the tricky position they were in. She shifted slightly, trying to see if she could actually lift Alexis up a bit, anything so she could get a better grip on her. But as she moved, she could feel her position on the bridge change again. Her foot lost hold of the grip it had on the board, she could feel herself gradually falling farther through the hole and she had no idea how to stop herself. The boards underneath her bounced as Castle stood and stepped over the hole that she now filled as quickly as he dared. The movement caused her to fall farther still until when she had almost gone in to her waist and thought for sure she would fall right through, she suddenly stopped.

Castle had finally managed to get around behind her and grabbed on to Kate's waistband, keeping her from sliding all the way through. As he looked down to where his hands held tight, he was surprised to see the cold hard steel of her gun, strapped to her waistband. His eyes widened in shock but he managed to push aside the hundred questions that sprung to mind of why she would have brought her gun on a hike with a bunch of school kids. Now was not the time. Grasping her waistband tighter with one hand, he manoeuvred his other through the hole in the boards, scraping his arm along the jagged wood, to grab her shoulder. The boards continued to bounce as Castle jockeyed for a solid position, but at least Kate was no longer slipping through.

"Okay, I'm gonna pull you up now. Please Kate, please don't let her fall."

"I've got her Castle, I've got her. Just pull. Hurry, please," Kate felt her words come out through her gritted teeth strong and steady, but at the same time laced with pleading and panic. Then finally, imperceptibly at first, she felt herself being lifted out of the hole. She looked down at Alexis and smiled with as much reassurance as she could.

"Hold on Alexis. You're dad's here and he's pulling us up. Just hang on." But in that moment, Kate's hold of Alexis' sweatshirt finally gave way, the soft material slipping through her hand, damp with perspiration from the effort. Alexis screamed as Kate quickly managed to squeeze the backpack strap tighter with her left hand. Kate called out in shock and fear and pain as the sudden shift of weight pulled and strained all the muscles and tendons in her arm and shoulder. She felt something pop and cried out again, the tears now bursting from her eyes, but she refused to let go.

Alexis also gripped tighter to the straps of her backpack, the instinct to hang on to anything she could driving her. She held tight but stared horrified into Kate's eyes as she realized that only a thin strap of canvas was all that was keeping her from falling into the river below. Looking down, Alexis saw swells of water racing headlong down the river, quickly winding its way around large boulders. From this height Alexis somehow knew that she would not survive a fall.

"Castle, hurry! Oh god, please hurry!" Kate was pleading now, the pain searing from her shoulder down her arm right to her fingertips, burning through her back and neck. She tried to reach her other hand down to grab on to the strap but the angle at which her left arm now stretched prevented her from reaching it with her right.

Kate could feel herself slowly rising up through the hole, Alexis coming along with her. She felt hands grasping at her body, her shoulders, her arms, until finally she could get her knees under her on the boards. More hands reached down into the hole, as her upper body finally cleared the opening, to grab onto Alexis.

Castle, and Don who had managed to carefully make his way back onto the bridge, finally pulled Alexis free. Kate's hand still gripped tightly to the backpack, her brain not yet comprehending that it was safe to let go, so as Alexis stumbled into her father's arms, Kate was dragged along with her. The three of them collapsed into a pile of arms and legs on the bridge, all holding each other tightly, all too afraid to let go. Kate could feel Castle's arms enveloping her and Alexis both, holding them tight to his chest as tears of relief trickled down his face. She could hear him whispering over and over, "Oh thank you. Thank god you saved her."

None of the three knew for how long they sat holding each other, but finally, Castle moved, cupping Alexis' face and turning it up to his, looking over every inch of her to assure himself that she was okay. "Baby, are you okay? Are you hurt?" Alexis blinked innocently staring deeply into her father's eyes and shook her head as tears silently streamed down her face.

"No. I'm not hurt," she whispered.

"You're okay? You're sure?" he wiped the wetness from her cheeks and ran his hands through her hair, which had now mostly fallen out of the ponytail she had carefully placed it in that morning. He brushed the loose strands away from her face and kissed her forehead, holding his lips to her brow as he looked to the sky to issue a silent prayer of thanks.

Castle pulled Alexis in close to his chest again, and now took a moment to look at Beckett who had been silent since they were freed from danger. He noticed as he looked her over that her hand was still firmly clenching Alexis' backpack, knuckles white with strain. He gently placed his hand over hers and tried to pry her fingers loose, but she wouldn't let go.

"Kate," he said softly, "Kate, it's okay, you can let go now. She's safe, Alexis is safe, you can let go." Slowly her eyes turned up to his, then, the words registering in her brain, she looked down at her own hand. Suddenly, her fingers flew open, like they had just touched a hot stove, releasing her grip on the bag. Castle took hold of her hand and tried to massage the blood back into circulation, but she winced in pain, pulling her stiffened hand to her body and cradling her injured arm with the other.

"Kate, you're hurt," he started, looking down on her with concern.  
She looked up at him gritting through clenched teeth. "No, I'm fine," she said trying to mask the pain she was feeling as tears threatened to fall from brimming eyes.

"No, Kate you're not." Castle paused looking around. "Don, can you help me get Alexis off the bridge?" Don had managed to get on the other side of the hole in his efforts to help get Kate and Alexis to safety. Castle gripped Alexis and got her to standing, while Don carefully stepped back across the hole and manoeuvred around them.

"Daddy?" Alexis looked back at him in concern, afraid he wasn't coming with her, and not wanting to let him go.

"Alexis, honey, you go with Don. Kate's hurt so I've got to help her. Don't worry, we're right behind you. Go." His voice though comforting to Alexis had a tone of worry that he knew he wouldn't be able to shake for some time.

Castle turned back to Kate who had propped herself up against one of the thick cables holding up the bridge. Her breath was ragged and her face showed signs of exhaustion and pain. Her right hand cupped her left shoulder while her arm lay limp across her lap. Castle was afraid to touch her, not knowing how badly she was hurt. He finally placed his hand lightly on the side of her face and brushed away the mess of hair that had come loose from her braid and was partially hiding her features. He gently wiped away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks.

"Kate, how bad is it?" he asked her quietly.

With her eyes closed, Kate pursed her lips, breathing deeply through her nose, trying to assess for herself the answer to his question. He watched as she slowly massaged her shoulder, wincing as she encountered several tender spots. She tried moving her shoulder in small circles, the crinkle in her brow deepening as she winced from the pain. She finally breathed out through her mouth, the tenseness in her jaw lessening slightly.

"I think it's okay...I mean, it hurts...but I don't think it's dislocated." She opened her eyes and found herself looking into deep pools of blue, rimmed red. She could see the concern etched across his face so she smiled to try to ease his worry. "It's okay Castle, I'm okay." Castle was unconvinced by her words, and the look on his face told her so. "No, really Castle. It does hurt but I'm going to be okay. I just...can we maybe get off this bridge?" Looking around her she realized that she would much rather be having this conversation on solid ground. She wasn't really worried about any of the other planks snapping, but just to be safe she wanted to go.

"Oh, yeah, sure. Come on, let's get you up." He slowly stood and reached down to help her gingerly to her feet. They stood still for a moment, allowing Kate to steady herself and try to calm her racing heart. Castle put his hands on her arms and pulled her close to him as gingerly as he could. She rested her head on his chest, finally letting herself relax from the adrenaline coursing through her. "Kate, you saved her, you saved my little girl. Thank you. I don't know how I will ever repay you for this. I can't believe what you did, but thank you, thank you."

He kissed her head and held her close to him wishing there was more he could say or do. He didn't know what he would have done if Kate hadn't been there to catch Alexis. Regardless of anything he had been thinking to this point, Castle now trusted Kate fully, without doubt. He leaned her back and stared into her eyes, both of them blinking back tears that threatened to fall. Not knowing quite how to deal with all of the emotions she was feeling, Kate simply smiled back at him and said quietly, "Always."

Coming back to the present, she checked herself over, assessing the damage. Kate suddenly realized that her sweatshirt had risen up above her waist, revealing the gun strapped at her lower back. She tried to pull it down to cover the weapon, but found it harder to do with only one working arm.

"Here, let me," Castle lightly grasped the hem of her sweater and pulled it down concealing her gun. She looked up at him tentatively, not sure what his reaction would be, having clearly seen what she had tried to hide. Sensing her discomfort and not wanting to start what would likely be a long conversation, he simply said, "We can talk about it later." Kate nodded, relieved for the moment. She really only had so much brain power right now and currently it was being used to keep her from falling over in pain, exhaustion and shock.

Turning away from the hole, they walked together, Castle's arm resting lightly around Beckett's waist, helping to support her as they moved. It was only as they neared the end of the bridge that Castle and Beckett realized that all of the students, Don, Liz and Anita were gathered at the end of the bridge, cheering their heroes once again.

As they finally took their first steps onto solid ground, Alexis flew from the crowd and threw her arms around Kate's waist. Grimacing in pain, Kate wrapped her own arms around the little girl, silently voicing a prayer of thanks of her own that Alexis was okay. The two stood wrapped together, tears flowing freely down their faces in relief.

As the group moved away from the bridge to give the survivors some space, Miss Travers started to organize them to finish the final leg of their journey back to camp. Kate glanced up at the same moment that Miss Travers was scanning the group, a look of concern slowly rising on her face. She looked up and saw Kate's worried expression returned to her.

"Miss Travers? Is something wrong?" Kate asked, as fear crept back into her already emotionally overtaxed brain.

Still scanning the group, Miss Travers asked, "Has anybody seen Paige?"


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: Wow...reviewers...thank you so so much! What great feedback to the last chapter! I wasn't sure how the thoughts and images in my head would translate into writing but I guess it was alright :) Your comments and feedback have given me new energy and the ideas are really flowing now! I hope you like this next chapter...think of it as a little calm before the storm ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. Andrew Marlowe does...he's seriously The Man! "Scared to Death" was hilariously scary, and the whole cast was so fun! I haven't laughed and screamed at the same time that much before. Top 10 ep for sure :)**

* * *

_Johnson._ Kate knew instantly that somehow, Johnson must have slipped past the Hartford police and made his way here. She had no idea how he knew where they were, or how he got there, but she knew unequivocally that Johnson had found Paige. Kate had no doubts that after her adventure earlier, Paige would not have wandered off on her own, and since none of the other kids were missing, she couldn't come up with any other reasonable explanation for her disappearance.

Rick, Don, Anita and Liz fanned out away from the bridge calling for Paige. Kate, still shaken and in pain from her rescue of Alexis, remained behind to keep the other kids calm, or at least as calm as was possible after all the excitement over the last hour. She paced at the edge of the clearing, scanning as far into the trees as she could, looking for any sign of Paige, hoping that she would turn up and that Kate's worries would be proven unfounded.

She had no real proof on which to base her line of thinking, but after a couple of years of developing her cop instincts, she knew she didn't need any. It was something that she sensed deep down in her gut, and it caused a wave of mixed emotions to flood through her. On the one hand she felt regret that she hadn't been there to stop Johnson, especially after being so diligent in surveying the area as they had walked to the bridge. At the same time, she was so relieved that she had been there to save Alexis from what would have been a fatal fall. She knew that there was no real way that she could have known that Johnson would find Paige out here in the wilderness and that blaming herself wouldn't help anyone. So, she focused on what she _could_ do.

After a few minutes of waiting and hearing Paige's name being called in the distance, Kate turned to the other kids, hoping one of them had some information that would help them find the missing girl. If she could just get a lead, some kind of a clue as to where they might be heading, maybe she could use it to track Paige's movements.

"Kids, can everyone come and gather around? I need to ask you all some questions." Kate said as calmly as she could, not wanting to incite any more fear or panic in the group than was already present. "Does anyone remember seeing Paige after she crossed the bridge?"

As she scanned the crowd, most of the kids were shaking their heads. Taylor spoke up quietly, "After she got off the bridge, Alexis...fell..." she looked up hesitantly at her friend who was standing so close to Beckett they were almost touching. Clearly Alexis was still recovering from her own traumas of the day, and with Rick out in the forest looking for Paige, Alexis sought solace from Kate. Taylor continued, "We were all watching the bridge."

"Are you sure no one saw Paige wander off? Or maybe did you see anyone else around?" Kate was hoping beyond hope that one of them had noticed something, anything, that she could use to find Paige.

After scanning the group and getting no positive responses, her eyes fell to Eddie. The look on his face was different from the blank stares she was getting back from the other kids, like he was trying to work something out in his memory. Moving through the crowd, she knelt down, still cradling her injured arm, and spoke quietly to him.

"Eddie, did you see something?" She waited patiently while Eddie continued working through his thoughts. "Eddie?" she finally asked again, bringing him out of his head and back to the present.

"Um...I'm not sure." His response was far from convincing but Beckett knew this was not a suspect to be pressured into sharing what he knew. He was just a scared little boy who needed reassurance. If he got pushed too hard and turned defensive, she knew he would have a much harder time remembering whatever it was he saw. And despite the fact that she felt like they were using up valuable time, she knew she would have to be patient with Eddie if she wanted to get anything out of him.

She dropped her tone even lower and smiled at him gently, "Eddie, remember when you figured out how the pink elephants game worked?" He looked up at her, a proud smile coming to his lips.

"Yes. And Mr. Castle couldn't figure it out."

She smiled back at him, at the memory. "That's right Eddie, Mr. Castle couldn't figure it out. You were pretty smart figuring it all out on your own. I was really proud of you."

"Thanks," he replied now blushing a bit from the praise.

"Eddie," Kate continued, "I think maybe you saw something earlier and now you're trying to figure out what it was. Does that sound right?"

He looked up at her, nodding. "Yes. I think so."

"Do you remember what it was you saw?"

"I'm not sure."

"Well, that's okay Eddie. Maybe we can figure it out together."

"Like partners?"

She laughed lightly at the connection Eddie made, "Yeah, Eddie, just like partners. You know, when I'm working a case, I always have a partner that I talk to about the clues. We try to put all the pieces in place together. But out here, I don't have a partner. Do you want to be my partner Eddie?"

"Really? Okay." Eddie seemed to be relaxing a bit, which Kate knew would help him to remember what he saw.

"Great. You know sometimes, when I'm trying to figure out the clues it helps me to close my eyes and take a deep breath and walk through the scene again. Can you try that Eddie?"

Eddie nodded his head and closed his eyes, his lips pressed tight together like he was trying really hard to concentrate. Kate knew the less he tried, the easier it would come to him so she started guiding him through the scene.

"Okay, take a deep breath Eddie, and let it out. Relax your shoulders and picture in your head what you saw. Everyone was looking at the bridge. Paige walked past everyone after she crossed. Where did she go?"

Eddie took another deep breath and then started to speak, quietly at first but gaining confidence as he went. "At first she was watching with everyone else. We were all scared for Alexis."

"Okay Eddie, that's really good. Then what happened?"

"Then Paige got really sad. She was standing right beside me and she kept saying 'Oh no, Alexis, oh no' over and over again. I tried to tell her it would be okay because you and Mr. Castle were there and I just knew you were going to save her. But she wouldn't stop. And then she got up and walked away. I think she was too scared to look anymore."

"Where did she go Eddie?"

"She walked into the forest. I saw her sit down on a big rock and her hands were over her face. I think she was crying."

"Okay, then what happened?"

"Well, I looked back at the bridge, because that's when you almost dropped Alexis and everyone was talking about it and they were all so scared. I was really scared too, but I knew you wouldn't let go. You're a cop so you're really tough and strong."

Kate smiled at the description of her that Eddie gave, so sure of his impressions of her. "Did you see Paige again Eddie?" Kate didn't want to push him too hard but she could tell there was something more he hadn't said yet.

"Yes, after Mr. Castle pulled you both up and you were on the bridge, I was going to go and tell Paige that you did it and that Alexis was okay. But she wasn't sitting on the rock anymore."

"She wasn't? Where did she go?"

"I saw her walking away from us with the ranger."

"With the ranger? What ranger?" Kate looked at him in confusion, but his eyes were still closed as he remembered.

"Um...I don't know. It wasn't the same rangers that were at the climbing activity."

"How did you know he was a ranger, Eddie?"

"He was wearing the same uniform that they did."

"But you're sure that he wasn't David, the ranger that helped us with the climbing?"

"No, it wasn't him. It was a different ranger. He was shorter and his skin was darker, like the people I met when my family went to Mexico for vacation."

"Okay, Eddie, you're doing really great. Now, just one more question, did you see where they went?" Kate was mentally crossing her fingers that Eddie could remember so she would know in which direction to start her search.

"Yes, I remember." Eddie opened his eyes and turned to look over his shoulder. He pointed as he said, "They went that way." Kate looked in the direction that Eddie was pointing. She couldn't see anything but trees, but she knew that they were heading back towards the lake. Because they were on the other side of the bridge now, Kate didn't know what the terrain was like or where Johnson might be taking Paige, but she at least had a general direction to start her search.

Looking down at Eddie with grateful relief, Kate lifted her uninjured arm and put her hand on his shoulder. "Eddie, that's awesome. You are a great partner."

He smiled back at her and at the kids around him who were all smiling too. Kate looked up and realized that while she and Eddie had been talking, all the other chaperones had returned from their search, empty-handed as Kate had known they would be. She saw that they were watching her with curiosity, but impressed by how she had so patiently worked with Eddie to get his memories out.

* * *

Kate stood in a huddled circle with the other chaperones while the kids sat talking quietly in small groups. She knew she was going to have to share Paige's story now and hoped they wouldn't be too angry with her that she hadn't mentioned it sooner. Honestly, she was really only concerned with what Rick would say.

"Before I left New York," she began quietly so the kids wouldn't hear her, "I was working on a murder investigation. We don't have a lot of time now, so I'll spare you the details, but we have learned that the woman who was murdered is Paige's biological mother. She was murdered by her ex-husband, Paige's real dad." She paused for a moment to let the information sink in. Kate looked up at Rick whose reaction was killing her. She could see that he felt betrayed that she hadn't said anything to him, despite several conversations in which she could have told him everything. He had even offered to help her work through the details of the case, but she had refused to share the information she knew.

Anita was the first to speak, clearly incensed by having been left out of the details. "So that's why you're here. I knew there was some reason other than just a new NYPD program. I just knew it. I can't believe you didn't tell us. You put us all in danger." Kate's gaze turned hard to Anita, she was pretty much done with the woman's insensitivities.

"No, actually, as I said when I got here, I came because of the new program. I just found out that Paige was adopted yesterday. I had no idea when I came here that my case was in any way connected with anyone here."

"Some coincidence." Anita voiced her disbelief harshly.

"Look, this isn't getting us anywhere," Castle stepped in to shut Anita down. Kate was surprised that he had her back on this given how he had just looked at her and in his eyes, she could see that he was still angry. Castle was also a bit surprised at his statement, but he was also a father who had very recently discovered what it felt like to have his child go missing. He recognized the seriousness of what Beckett had told them and knew that they would need to act quickly if they were going to find Paige.

Kate spoke again. "I need you all to go back to the camp. You'll be heading in the opposite direction from where Paige and her father are heading so you should be safe. When you get there, I need you to call Trooper Jones and let him know what's going on. Tell him the general area where they're headed and he can send some units to secure the camp site."

"Wait, where are you going?" Rick asked concerned.

"I'm going after them. I've got to leave now or they'll get too far ahead. I don't know where they're going but I've got to try to find them."

"Kate, that's mad, you'll never find them." Castle was in total protective mode at this point and seemed intent on making sure that no one else was put in danger, his anger all but forgotten.

"Castle I have to go, it's my job. And if I don't start looking, they'll disappear, and Paige's adoptive parents will never see her again. I can't let that happen."

"Well then I'm going with you," Castle said firmly.

"No, you're not. You're going to go back to camp with everyone else." Kate replied just as firmly. This wasn't some Monday night ride-along, it was real, dangerous police work and she was not about to let him be put in harm's way.

"Kate, you're injured. You can barely move your arm. You'll be a sitting duck out there if the guy sees you. I'm not letting you go by yourself."

"Look Castle, I appreciate your concern, but I need you to go with the others. I'm not letting you put yourself at risk. You have a daughter who needs you, right now especially."

Not wanting to cause any more of a scene than they already were, Castle grabbed Kate by the arm and excused them from the group. He guided her away so they could speak privately.

"Kate," he started but that was as far as she was going to let him get.

"No, Castle. You don't get to do this. I told you earlier, when I'm working, I need to focus on my job. It's going to be hard enough getting through this as it is, I don't need to be worrying about you too. I need to know you're safe."

Castle looked down at her trying to figure out the best way to convince her that he was coming too, when a small quiet voice spoke up, "Daddy, what's going on? Where's Paige?"

Castle removed the hand that was still holding Kate's arm and looked down at his little girl. "Hey sweetheart, everything's okay. We're just going to go and find her."

Kate looked at Castle pointedly, about to reiterate that she was not going to let him go with her when Alexis spoke again. "Daddy, you're not going too are you? I really don't want you to go." Her bottom lip started to quiver and the tears welled up in her eyes.

"Oh baby, come here." He bent down and took Alexis into his arms as she cried quietly into his shoulder. Rubbing her back he added soothingly, "It's okay sweetheart, everything is going to be okay."

"Castle, you need to be with your daughter," Kate said quietly as he looked up at her, torn. He nodded finally in assent, but he definitely wasn't happy about having to make the decision at all.

Kate walked away, allowing Castle and Alexis some time to be alone. As she neared the other chaperones, Don broke away and stepped up to her, speaking quickly and quietly. "I think I know where they're going." The look on his face made Kate stop in her tracks. It was pure guilt, and it shook Kate to her core.

"What? Don, do you know something about this?" He looked down at the ground, avoiding eye contact, hesitant to come clean. "Don." Kate started more sharply and he looked up at her in fear. No need for patience with this witness like she had needed with Eddie. Don was a grown man and he clearly had some information that would help her track down Johnson and Paige. "Tell me. Everything."

"Yesterday, when I was in town waiting for the bus to be fixed, a guy came up to me. He said he was looking for a ride out of town and heading in a direction that wasn't far from the camp. Asked if I would take him. I didn't want to at first. He looked a little shady and school policy is that we never let people on the bus who aren't supposed to be there. I tried to tell him no, but he kept pushing."

"This guy, did he say what his name was? What did he look like?"

"No, he didn't say his name. He was about five foot eight, dark brown hair, looked maybe Latino, but it was hard to tell, it was getting dark and the lights at the garage weren't good." Kate matched this information with the description Eddie had given her moments before. Finally some clues she could work with.

"Okay, so what happened?" Kate was getting impatient and she knew she had to get going if she was going to have any chance of finding Paige.

"So after I said no a couple of times, he pulls out this picture and hands it to me." At this point, Kate noticed a visible shift in his composure. His shoulders slumped and his eyes became moist with worry. "The picture was of my daughters. They're twins. It's their graduation picture from my desk at home. He had been to my _home_. He said if I didn't want anything bad to happen to my girls, that I needed to drive him back to camp with me. He said that if I did, then everything would be fine, but that if I told anyone, that he had a partner watching my house who was waiting for his call. He said he would burn my house to the ground with my family in it. I'm so sorry Officer Beckett. I didn't know what to do. I swear I didn't know he was Paige's father. I didn't know he was going to take her." Kate considered his information. She wished he had made a different choice, but there was nothing she could do about it now.

"You said you think you know where he's taking Paige?"

"Yes. Before we left the garage he used the phone to call someone. He was talking quietly but it sounded like he was trying to arrange a place where he could be picked up. I heard him say something about getting to a radio. There are only two radios that I know about around here. The one at our camp, and the one at the ranger's station."

"Okay, where's the station?"

"It's up on the ridge on the opposite side of the lake from where we had our lunch today. The direction Eddie pointed was towards the lake, not our camp, so they must be going to the ranger's station. Here look," Don held up a map and pointed out the key landmarks Kate would need to know if she was going to find them. She took the map from him and put it in her back pocket.

"Okay, Don, listen to me very closely. I can't tell you what the NYPD is going to do once they hear what happened, but you have an opportunity, however small, to start to make things right. You need to get these kids back to the camp and then you need to tell Trooper Jones everything you just told me. Do you understand? He'll call my captain back in New York and they'll get a detail on your house and make sure your family is safe, but you've got to tell him everything okay?" Kate knew it wasn't protocol to let an accomplice walk free, but given the circumstances, her number one priority had to be to find Paige. And she didn't believe that Don was actually any kind of threat. He was just a father who was trying to protect his family.

"Okay. I will. And Officer Beckett, for whatever it's worth, I'm so sorry. I hope you can find her."

"Me too."

Don left to get all the kids ready to go and Kate turned to find Castle standing behind her. She wasn't sure how much he had heard, but at this point she figured it didn't even matter, he just needed to get the kids safely back to camp. "Castle, please don't argue with me." She said, a tone of resignation creeping into her voice. She willed away her exhaustion and stared at him.

"Okay. I won't."

She looked at him in surprise, figuring he would be much more stubborn about it, but as her eyes trailed down, she saw Alexis with her arms locked around his waist. Clearly Kate wouldn't have to convince him because Alexis already had.

"Alexis, honey, can you go and stand with your friends and I'll be there in a minute?" She looked up at him hesitantly but he gave her a reassuring pat on the head and gently guided her away. Looking back at Kate now, he dropped all pretenses. "Kate, listen to me. You're tired and you're hurt. If you come with us, no one will fault you for that."

_Ah, one last effort to keep her safe. Sorry Castle, it's not going to work._

"Castle, I'm going to get her back. It's my job." She said simply.

He looked back at her, the resignation showing clearly on his face now. He was giving in. No more arguments. "Okay. But Kate? Don't do anything stupid, okay? You've basically asked me out twice this week and I fully intend to take you up on those requests." He smiled as best he could, though it never quite reached his eyes.

"Hey, it's going to be fine Castle. I do this for a living remember? I can handle myself. Tell Jones I'll mark my trail so he can find me."

Before he could second guess himself, and before she could stop him, he leaned in and slowly, deeply kissed her on the lips. Then, just as quickly, he put his arms around her back and squeezed as tightly as he dared given her injuries. As she curled her good arm around his back, he whispered into her ear, "Kate, please be safe. Please come back to me. I don't want to lose you. Not when I just found you."

She melted at his words and let him hold her tight to his chest, even though it caused searing pain to shoot down her arm.

Finally she started to pull away from him, "Castle..."

"Go," he said quickly before he could take it back, and she turned and walked off in the direction of the lake.


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: So, as per usual, this chapter didn't go on the page exactly how I had seen it in my head. Feels like now that I'm into the suspense part of the story, I'm having a hard time capturing the funny moments with words as I see them in my head. Hopefully it's all good. Please, feedback me! Your words have been so inspiring and insightful and I appreciate everyone who has taken the time to fav, follow and feedback my little story...ok, not so little anymore...can you believe I originally thought it would be 7 or 8 chapters? haha...I'm so wordy :)**

**Disclaimer: AWM has my highest respect. I'm jealous that he runs Castle and I don't, but he's just so darned good at it, I don't think I'd want it any other way. Props to the cast and crew on the last episode too. Seriously still loving it :)**

* * *

As Kate made her way hurriedly through the forest, a flurry of images flew through her brain. She realized all too quickly that her dream from that morning was becoming a reality, racing through the trees after Paige who was just out of her reach, turning her head frantically to find some sign that she was heading the right way.

In the back of her mind she heard Castle's voice telling her to stay safe and to come back to him. She used those words as a source of strength to keep moving, despite the fact that she was nearing exhaustion. Even without him there, as she flew through the trees, he was her tether. He was keeping her safely rooted in reality, not letting the images invade her thoughts to distraction.

She tried to focus on the matter at hand, making her way to the ranger's station, while keeping a keen eye out for Paige and Johnson, but it was no easy feat, the rays of the sun breaking through the trees at random intervals, casting shadows in unexpected places. A light breeze made its way through the forest, moving branches and changing the patterns of light and dark, causing her to see ghosts where there were none.

Don's map, safely tucked in her back pocket, would come in handy when she eventually got closer to the lake and the ranger station. Her quick glance earlier had showed the station to be set inland from the water by a few hundred feet. But for now, Kate kept to the ridge line to ensure that she didn't get turned around in the repetitive monotony of the trees. She wasn't the world's best map reader so the obvious landmark made her navigation easier for the time being. But, it also made her progress slower than she would have liked since the ridge didn't seem to want to follow a straight path, instead mirroring the winding river below.

Kate figured that Johnson and Paige couldn't be more than about twenty minutes ahead of her, but it was a fairly big lead. She expected that her targets would not be moving swiftly, a nine-year-old girl, compliant or not, could only move so fast. Kate knew that if she really pushed herself she could catch up to them in short order, but for several reasons, she had to move with caution.

First, she wanted to avoid making too much noise. There was no need to alert Johnson to her presence before she could figure out exactly what the situation was and form a rescue plan. Stumbling clumsily through the trees wouldn't give her any advantage of surprise that she expected she might need.

Second, the rugged terrain, fallen trees and slippery moss, combined with her proximity to the edge of a fairly dramatic dropoff prevented her from running full out. Several times she burst through a clump of trees only to find the ground in front of her coming to a sudden end where the ridge took a sharp bend. She had narrowly avoided falling on one occasion, sliding hockey style, and coming to a stop right at the edge of the embankment.

And lastly, if she had to be honest, she wasn't sure how much energy she really had left in her tank. She had put on a brave face for Castle, but that was mostly to convince him not to go with her. In reality, her shoulder was screaming at her with every jarring step. She wished she had something to strap her arm to her body so at least it wouldn't move around quite so much, but it would take too much time and too much effort for her to even try, so she just grit her teeth and kept on moving.

As she ran, Kate worked through the scenarios she might encounter if..._no, when..._she found them. She didn't know if Johnson had a weapon, though she was assuming he did, and for the first time since she had picked it up that morning, Kate was glad that she had her gun. She also didn't know what Paige's condition was, if she was afraid, if she was being cooperative. Kate wondered if Johnson had told Paige anything about why he was taking her, or whether she just thought he was another forest ranger there to help. Kate really had now idea how a child would rationalize this situation.

Just then, Kate came to a large fallen tree, her thoughts breaking away from her pursuit in effort to figure out how exactly she was going to manoeuvre her way past it. The giant black oak was way too long to try to go around. Kate judged that before it fell it probably stood about fifty feet high, so going around would waste time. Despite her injuries, it was going to be faster to just climb over.

Having lain on the floor of the forest for several years, the tree had become covered in patches of moss, and the bark that was visible was damp and mildewy. She managed to climb on top of the giant log, but needed the use of both her arms to do so, as it was over the height of her waist. The muscles and tendons burned in her shoulder and neck, sending searing pain down her arm and back. She grunted audibly with the effort.

Looking out from her perch, she discovered that the ground fell off below, rolling down to a small creek. Trying to figure out how exactly she was going to lower herself down safely, Kate discovered a small flat space directly on the other side of the tree she was sitting on. It was a narrow spot, but if she eased herself down slowly, she figured she could stick the landing and then carefully edge her way down the hill.

Painfully, she managed to swing her legs to the other side of the tree and slide down to the ground. But as she did so, her left arm caught on a small limb that she hadn't seen before starting her descent. Excruciatingly, her arm was wrenched around and up over her head as she slid down the side of the trunk. Kate managed to land clumsily on the ground, grasping at her shoulder in agony. But in twisting to extricate herself from the branch, she lost her balance and toppled backwards down the hill, rolling uncontrollably to the bottom. Breathing heavily into the floor of the forest, Kate finally came to rest at the base of the hill, mere feet from the creek. She tried to push herself up as flashes of white blinded her vision. She willed herself to stay conscious but before she could pull herself upright, blackness overtook her and she fell into the soft earth.

* * *

Moving the opposite direction from Kate, the campers and chaperones marched in eerie silence. Anita and Don quietly led the pack, doing their best to hide the panic and the guilt they respectively felt, while Liz and Rick brought up the rear. Every few moments, as he searched through the forest for signs of anything out of place, Rick would glance behind him, in a futile attempt to see any danger that might be heading for Kate, willing her to stay safe.

"You're worried about her." Liz said quietly as he glanced around for what felt like the millionth time.

Alexis looked up from Castle's side where she had been walking silently next to him. She had been watching him, too, as he repeatedly looked back over his shoulder. Even though she knew that her father was worried about Paige, Alexis somehow knew that Miss Travers was talking about Officer Beckett. She was worried about them both too.

Castle turned and replied quietly, "Yes. I am. She's hurt pretty bad and I don't like the thought of her being out there alone." Not wanting to say too much in front of Alexis, he stopped short, but in his head he ran through hundreds of scenarios of what would be waiting for Kate if and when she ever caught up with Paige and her father, and none of them were good. Castle thought about the nefarious characters he had created in his books, cataloging the various despicable qualities they each had, assuming that this particular bad guy likely had them all.

Briefly he thought about what an intriguing plot this would make for a story, adopted child kidnapped by her birth father while on a school camping trip. He thought about the heroine of the story, battling through the elements, hampered by injuries, verging on exhaustion. One plot twist after another burst into his thoughts all suggesting a grim future for the brave protagonist, fearlessly...or foolishly...rushing headlong into danger unknown. Castle shook his head, trying to clear the negative thoughts from his mind. He turned to look back again longingly.

They walked along in silence for a few more moments before he heard a quiet voice behind him.

"Dad, you should go." Alexis had stopped walking and was now looking up at him earnestly with a strength that Castle didn't know she possessed.

"Alexis? What are you talking about? Come on, we have to keep up with the group." Castle tried pulling her along but she wouldn't budge. Sometimes she really could be stubborn.

"No, Dad, you should go. You should go and find Officer Beckett and help her find Paige."

Castle knelt down in front of Alexis and took her by the shoulders. "Sweetie, I'm your father and my responsibility here is to keep you and the other kids safe."

"But Paige doesn't have her daddy to keep her safe. And we have Miss Travers and Ms. Penn and Don to keep us safe. And we're not that far from camp so we'll be okay. And you have to go and find Paige, Daddy, you have to. Because..." Suddenly Alexis' once strong voice was fading into silent shame as her eyes found their way to the ground beneath her feet.

"Baby, what's wrong? Why do I have to?"

Alexis took a deep breath to steady herself, then looked forcefully up into her father's eyes, tears brimming and then falling down her soft, pale cheeks. "Because it's all my fault," she said simply.

"What? No, Alexis, this isn't your fault at all," Castle started, confused by how his daughter could possibly take responsibility for this situation.

"Yes, it is. I was the one who jumped on the bridge, even though I knew I shouldn't and I was the one who fell through, and you and Officer Beckett and Don all had to come and save me, and if I hadn't done any of those things then Paige wouldn't have gone with that ranger, and we would all be together and everyone would be safe, and now Officer Beckett is out there alone, and Daddy, she saved my life, and now she's in danger, and she's alone, and it's all my fault..." Castle pulled his daughter to his chest and hugged her fiercely, distraught by the wildness in her voice and the desperate admission that she had just made. His heart breaking into a thousand pieces for her.

"No, Alexis, no. This is _not_ your fault. This is not your fault _at all_." He pulled her back and looked into her eyes, willing her to see reason. "Sweetheart, the man who took Paige is the only person to blame. This is not your fault. Please, baby, no one blames you for this."

"Daddy, if anything happens to Paige, I'll never be able to forgive myself. And Officer Beckett is hurt and I bet Paige is scared and you have to go and find them _please_," Alexis was bordering on frantic begging. The tears ran freely down her face now and she was taking in deep sobbing breaths.

"Rick, you should go." Liz's voice caught Castle by surprise. He hadn't realized that she had stayed with them watching the exchange. "You were right, she's hurt and...you should go."

"Liz..." Rick started. He'd made his choice and although he'd been torn, Alexis had needed him so he was here. But now Alexis was pleading with him to go, and now the doubts crept back into his head.

"No, Rick. Go. I've got Alexis. She'll be fine. We'll get back to camp and we'll call in the cavalry." She smiled lightly, hoping it would encourage him to see that they would be okay.

"Alexis..." Rick's eyes glanced down acknowledging his responsibility to his daughter who was slowly trying to steady her breathing.

"I won't let her out of my sight. I've got her. You go get Kate. And then together you can get Paige."

Rick looked back down at Alexis now staring, pleading eyes begging him to go, when not that long ago she had been pleading with him to stay. "Sweetheart are you sure?" He asked one final time. This was not a decision he should be letting his nine-year-old daughter talk him into but he was having a hard time finding fault in their logic. They _were_ almost back to the camp, and though they weren't a hundred percent sure, they were _reasonably_ sure that Paige's father was not taking her back to the camp,_ reasonably_ sure they were heading in the opposite direction.

Weighing all the information, Rick realized that the only reason the scale had tipped this way before was Alexis. If she hadn't said she needed him then, he would never have let Beckett run off on her own. And now she was standing before him making a sound argument, despite it being fueled by panic and guilt.

"Yes, please Daddy. Please go find Paige." Rick looked into the forest in the direction Kate had gone. He looked back at the group still walking the opposite way to the camp. He looked at Alexis, stared deeply into her eyes and saw her resolve. Rick knew in that moment that he might as well go, her fiery red-headed stubbornness wasn't going to let him stay. He stood quickly and kissed her forehead. "Alexis, I love you."

"I love you too Daddy. Thank you." He kissed her again, then mouthed his thanks silently to Liz and turned to run through the woods after Kate.

* * *

Rick ran as fast as he could through the trees, back to the clearing where they had parted company with Kate. He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts and catch his breath before heading back into the woods along the ridge line. He moved along the same track that Kate had taken earlier while he had stood rooted to the ground, feeling helpless as he watched her disappear behind the trees. As he went he saw small signs that told him he was on the right track, a footprint in the soft ground, a broken branch pointing ahead like an arrow. It bolstered his own confidence, knowing that she was up ahead, still on her feet, despite whatever odds might be against her.

As Kate had before him, Castle discovered quickly that the path along which he was running was not the most direct route to the ranger's station. He realized, as she had, that he would have to take things more slowly than he had hoped, especially on seeing the skid marks Kate had left behind at the edge of one section of the ridge. He stopped there and hesitantly peered over the edge, praying not to find any evidence that she had actually fallen, and breathed a quiet sigh of relief on seeing more footsteps leading away from the spot.

He continued along through the woods as quietly as he could when far ahead of him he thought he saw some movement. A deer maybe? Could it be Kate? Paige and her father? He slowed allowing himself to really focus on what was ahead, straining to hear anything that might give away what or who he had seen, if anything. Moments later his ears perked up as he heard what sounded like someone crying out, or maybe a large bird or small animal? He really couldn't tell from this distance. Suddenly, ridiculously, he really hoped it wasn't a bear...after all, he didn't have his nun-chucks. Moving forward now, cautiously, he continued to listen, but the only sounds that found their way to him were the rustling of leaves high above and a few light chirps from some birds singing in the branches.

* * *

Suddenly Kate's eyes flew open. She blinked rapidly trying to make sense of what she was seeing. Coming to her senses, she found herself lying, contorted uncomfortably, on the forest floor next to the creek. Her left arm was pinned awkwardly behind her, while one leg had somehow been caught up in a small bush beside her. She managed to carefully extricate herself from the foliage, and rolled over to lie now on her stomach. Pushing herself to her knees and her one good arm, Kate took a moment to steady herself. She took slow, deep, deliberate breaths, willing the black spots and flashes of color, still swimming in front of her eyes, to dissipate.

As she rested, she listened to the sounds around her, using the calm soothing rustling of the leaves to steady her mind. A snap of a twig in the distance caught her attention and she turned her head sharply toward the sound, holding her breath in bated suspense. A moment of silence, then another snap, getting closer.

Kate raised herself up on her knees, swaying slightly from the effort, trying to determine the origin of the sound, but in the hollowness of the forest, with the creek bubbling beside her, it was hard to pinpoint the location. Her head was still spinning from the fall and Kate was having difficulty focusing both her sight and her thoughts. _Who could that be?_ She wondered. There was no way that Jones could have gotten here already. A quick check of her watch told her that she had only likely been unconscious for a minute or two. And, now she was reasonably sure that the sounds were not coming from the top of the hill, but rather from beside her, further up the creek. Had Johnson heard her and somehow come back to find her?

Not wanting to take any chances, Kate reached around behind her to take hold of her gun. At least that was what she had intended to do, but a quick grasp at the empty space told her that it was no longer strapped to her belt where it had been earlier. Looking around frantically, she finally spied it lying on the ground a few feet away.

As silently as she could, Kate moved on her hand and knees towards the weapon, hearing yet another crack behind her. Finally close enough, Kate grabbed the gun by the handle, relaxing slightly in the security she felt as her fingers eased into the grooves on the front of the grip, and quietly turned to face whatever, or whoever, was coming towards her. Inching back slowly, Kate braced herself against the trunk of a much smaller oak, standing firm in the ground by the creek, providing her with the support she found herself needing to stay upright. Her head was swimming from the pain in her arm and yet another shot of adrenaline into her system. Bringing the NYPD issue Glock 17 up to eye level, Kate quietly pulled back and released the safety slide, readying the gun, and herself, for firing. She took a couple of deep, steadying breaths and raised the gun, aiming at the sound of movement approaching, her eyes scanning what she could see of the forest.

Looking around, Kate discovered quickly that she was not in a good position relative to where the sounds were coming from. She had no cover where she sat and several large overlapping trees and a few clumps of bushes were blocking her view. If she stayed there much longer she would be a sitting duck. Taking a deep breath, Kate braced herself against the tree and willed her legs to straighten underneath her, groaning quietly with the effort. She made her way around behind the tree, giving herself some much needed cover.

A few moments passed before she saw rustling branches and heard heavy footsteps tripping through a clump of bushes next to the creek. A large figure stumbled loudly out of the brush and turned to face her just as she raised her gun and called out between clenched teeth, "NYPD, don't move!"

Stunned by the words and the gun he was now staring down, Castle backpedaled, arms in the air in surrender, and awkwardly tripped over the bushes, landing on his ass in the middle of the creek. He jumped out just as quickly when the cold water hit his skin, hands still held high above his head, "Don't shoot! Kate, don't shoot! It's me! It's Castle!"

Leaning out from behind the tree, her gun still trained on him, Kate looked at his dripping form in confusion. "Castle? What are you doing here? I could have shot you." She looked around to make sure no one else was about, then lowered her gun to her side.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I just, I came to find you and, well...Kate are you okay? You don't look so good." He moved forward out of the water and walked along the rocky bank towards her.

Steadying herself against the tree, Kate felt the tension slowly easing out of her body, her heart rate beginning to slow it's frantic pace, but it wasn't enough. The stress of the moment, the pain still searing through her arm and the confusion she faced seeing him in front of her, caused a wave of lightheadedness to overtake her. Rick saw the color what was left of it, drain out of Kate's face as he quickened his pace to get to her. He saw her legs begin to buckle and managed, just in time, to grab hold of her collapsing body and ease it gently to the ground.

"Kate? Kate, can you hear me? I've got you. I've got you, just keep breathing. It's going to be okay." He cradled her head tenderly on his lap, brushing the hair away from her face as she lay still. Her eyes were closed but he could tell by the way her forehead was creasing and her breaths were being forced in and out that she wasn't unconscious.

"Kate?" he finally asked quietly, his hand still stroking her cheek. Her eyes fluttered open and he was struck by the way the light caught them. He finally took note of their color the darkest green he had ever seen, with flecks of dark brown. They showed strength and determination, even as she lay immobilized on the ground before him. He moved his thumb across her face, wiping the tears that rolled softly down her cheeks. She wasn't crying so much as the stress was pouring out of her however it could find its way. He smiled down at her, relieved that he had found her and that she was, at least mostly, okay.

She finally focused on his eyes, staring deeply, gathering her strength. "You're wet." She smiled.

The last bits of tension released from his shoulders and unclenched his stomach. "Yes, I am. It happens when you fall in a stream." He smiled back and gently helped her to a sitting position.

Still breathing deeply and steadying herself, she fought to push the pain in her arm out of her mind. "You know I could have killed you right? What were you thinking?"

"Well, at the moment that I saw your gun pointed at me, I really wasn't thinking anything except 'Duck!' But in the moments before that, I was looking for you." Kate looked at him, narrowing her eyes and started to speak, but he cut her off. "And before you say that we agreed that I would go back to camp, in my defense, let me just say that...um... Alexis...made me come." As he voiced the words, he realized the argument sounded much better in his head.

"Alexis? You're blaming this on Alexis? Seriously?" She looked incredulously at him, though she couldn't stop the hint of a smile that was tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Seriously. We were walking back to the camp and she had a sudden change of heart." He stopped speaking as he remembered the pleading look in her eyes, the wave of guilt that had washed over her, her tiny chin quivering. His eyes softened as Kate looked at him inquisitively. "She feels guilty. Thinks this is all her fault for jumping on the bridge and falling. There was no way she was taking no for an answer, and I really didn't need much convincing to come after you."

Kate looked at him, touched by the emotion he was sharing with her. She could see that he was so caught up in his own guilt for letting Kate go off by herself that he had wrapped it up in his daughter's remorse over Paige and used it to convince himself that he was doing the right thing. Either way, he was here now, and Kate knew she wasn't going to be able to get rid of him. But maybe, given her condition, it was for the better.

"Can you help me up?" She finally asked, after considering his words for a moment. Kate had a job to do and she needed to get back to it. With him helping, maybe she could get back to it faster.

Castle put his hands under her good arm and around her waist and lifted her smoothly to her feet. "Kate, are you okay? You...you really don't look so good. You're covered in dirt and..." he reached out and pulled a few leaves from her hair, "you're kind of wearing the forest."

"Yeah, I um...I kind of fell...down that hill." She pointed to the giant fallen tree at the top of the hill and his eyes widened as he imagined what had happened.

"Geez, Kate, are you sure you're okay? How's your shoulder?" He realized now looking at her that she was still cradling her left arm with her other hand.

"It still hurts. The fall didn't help. But it's fine. I'm fine. I just wish I had something to make a sling, or bind it to my body so it didn't bounce around so much."

Castle looked back at her with a bright look on his face, "Oh, I can make you feel better," he said glad to be finding a way to help. He reached down and started undoing his belt.

"Um...Castle? I don't think this is the time..." she hesitated to finish her sentence.

He looked up at her, false offense and shock written lightly on his face, "Officer Beckett, what do you take me for? We haven't even had a first date yet, and I'm not that easy." She lifted an eyebrow mockingly. "Okay, maybe I am that easy, but this is neither the time nor the place and I'm shocked that you would even think it!" He smiled at her as he continued taking off his belt.

"Bu...I..." she furrowed her brow for a moment before finally realizing what he was doing.

Castle delicately took Kate's left arm and folded it across her chest, wincing with her as she bit down through the pain. "Sorry," he said, breathing in sharply with her. He wrapped his cloth belt around her upper body, confining her arm to her chest, and cinched it as tightly as he dared. "Okay?" He looked her over to assess his handiwork.

"Um, maybe a little tighter?"

"You sure?" His eyebrows rising slightly higher. It seemed pretty snug.

Kate nodded her head and he pulled the belt a little at a time until she nodded at him that it was secure enough. He could see the muscles in her jaw clenching and her breathing was heavy, but after a few moments she opened her eyes and the tensions seemed to ease a little. "Thanks. That's better."

"Good," he replied and kissed her lightly on her forehead. "Now let's get you back to camp."

"Camp? What do you mean? I'm not going back, I have to go find Paige."

He looked at her incredulously. "Kate, are you serious? No way. You're too hurt."

"Castle, I told you. I have a job to do and I'm going to do it. Just because I'm hurt doesn't mean that little girl is going to suddenly come out of the woods and say 'Oh, my dad let me go because you're hurt and you can't chase us anymore.' That's not how this works Castle. I'm the only one out here who can help her and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

"Kate..."

"Did Alexandra Jones give up like that?"

"What? Did...what?" She was using one of his book characters as an argument?

"Alexandra Jones. In 'Kissed and Killed'. Did she give up?"

"No, but Kate, that's fiction," he said. "This is real life. It doesn't always work out in the end."

"You're right Castle, it doesn't Too many times in real life the bad guys get away with it and there's no justice for the victims. All the more reason for me to go. I'm not going to let Paige and her family be victims any more than they already are. My job is to find her dad and bring him to justice. My job is to bring Paige home safely to her parents and that's what I intend to do. Now you can go back to the camp like I told you to in the first place, or you can come with me and help. But either way, I'm leaving. They've already gotten too far ahead and I can't argue with you about it anymore." Kate breathed out heavily after her long speech. It was possible she had maybe gotten a little carried away by her emotions but they had already had this conversation, and Kate was not interested in continuing it. After a moment of him silently processing her words, she turned and resumed walking in the direction of the lake.

A moment later, Castle registered that she had left. He looked up, realized she wasn't waiting for him, and quickly moved to catch up. "Wait. Kate, wait, I'm coming." She smiled lightly knowing all along that he would. "God you're stubborn." He muttered under his breath.

She laughed out loud at him, "You haven't seen anything yet." She caught his eye as he looked up with just a slight look of trepidation on his face, and winked teasingly at him. "Come on, we'd better hurry."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: This chapter is a little bit shorter because it was going to end up being so long and I felt like I needed to break it up somewhere. But I'm almost done the next one too so you shouldn't have to wait too long for it...the words have been flowing like coffee on a Castle set! Hope you like it. Would love any feedback you have. Thanks as always to those who have reviewed, especially those of you with constructive suggestions. They push me to work really hard to make sure that the details ring true with the show. I really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle but I love playing with the characters. AWM, cast and crew, my highest respect is yours.**

* * *

"Kate? What is that?" Rick looked around Kate's hunched over form to see what she had found. She stood and turned to face him, looking at the small fuzzy hair elastic resting in the palm of her hand. "Could be nothing," she said with a shrug. It was not uncommon for girls to lose their hair elastics, and without a DNA test, there was no way to know if the long blonde hair attached to this one belonged to Paige. But it looked fairly clean, like it hadn't been sitting there long. Kate's eyes searched the area for any other clues but found none.

Rick moved closer and gently took the fuzzy blue tie from Kate. His eyes narrowed as he looked closer, turning it over in his hand. "This isn't nothing. This is something. This is Paige's."

"Come on Castle, you can't know that for sure. It's a hair elastic. Girls lose these all the time. It could belong to any number of kids who have come hiking here. When I was a kid, my mom would clean the apartment on Saturdays and she would always walk into my room with a handful of hair ties that she'd found scattered around the place. There's no way you can know who this one belongs to." She paused at the memory of her mother. She hadn't thought about that image in a long time.

Castle noted her reaction briefly and was pleased to see that the memory brought a smile to her face. _Nice to know they're not all bad memories,_ he thought.

"Well, I guess I can't know for sure, but this morning, Alexis showed me how she and Paige had done each other's hair. They were laughing when Alexis said she used the purple elastic to match Paige's sweater and Paige used the blue one to match Alexis' sweater." Kate looked dubiously at him, but he continued, "And see this little plastic heart attached to it? It's got the letter 'A' on it. 'A' for Alexis. Her mother gave them to her the last time she came to visit. I can't be one hundred percent sure that Paige was wearing this, but I think it's a pretty safe bet."

Castle looked up to see Kate considering his deductions. "Hmmm. Well, maybe it is. There's no way to know for sure. But it doesn't matter anyways, we're still heading in the right direction. Can't be much further to the ranger's station. We should keep moving."

Castle and Beckett resumed their course along the ridge, managing a fairly steady pace, despite Kate's injuries. They had made good time so far, in large part to Castle being there to help Kate over several more fallen trees that they encountered. She noted that he was doing his best not to baby her or be too overprotective, though she could see every time they came to a small crevice to jump over or a group of large rocks to climb that he wanted to. The terrain had been rugged, but Kate felt like she was managing well. Just having Castle there had energized her, given her the strength to keep going, despite the enormous amount of pain she was in.

After a while, they started to see a change in the ground underfoot. It seemed to be more worn and tamped down as they progressed along, like this part of the forest had seen more foot traffic than where they had been. Kate paused and took out the map Don had given her. Turning it over in her hands she attempted to glean their location. Castle could tell she was struggling with it, judging by how she looked up into the trees and back at the map several times.

"Do you want me to take a look?" he asked.

"No, I've got this," she said looking back at the map. He grinned as he watched her try to maintain control over a situation that was clearly not her strength. "Just need to figure out..." her voice trailed off as she glared at the map, her brow knitting in concentration.

Castle didn't want to push, but really he was quite good at reading maps. He and Alexis had gone on many an adventure in the woods near their beach house in the Hamptons. They learned how to read maps together by refusing to take the worn paths, getting lost, getting more lost, and finally, always, managing to find their way. It was trial and error most of the time, until eventually they had both become pretty good at reading the maps. He smiled warmly at Kate as he remembered the first time he and Alexis had gotten lost.

* * *

"_Daddy, where are we?" They had been walking for almost an hour. Rick was sure he knew where they were, but the concern in Alexis' tiny voice beside him had made him question his certainty._

"_Well, honey, we're..." They looked down at the map together and Castle realized quickly that he actually had no idea where they were, at least not where they were on the map. After a moment, Alexis' big blue eyes looked up at him worriedly. He quickly masked the tension in his own eyes to shield her from the reality of their situation. Instead he tried to cover, realizing his suggestion earlier to walk away from the path might have been a terrible idea. "Here, look, we're right here." Castle finally responded, pointing to a spot on the map._

"_How do you know that's where we are?" she asked innocently._

"_Well..." _Good question_, he thought. "Well, you see that bit of green right there on the map? That's that clump of bushes over there." Castle surprised even himself with the confidence in his voice. He was really hoping Alexis bought it._

"_Dad," she drawled out, rolling her eyes. Even at five-and-a-half she had been ahead of her time, sounding almost like a teenager. "They don't put all the bushes on the map, they just make it all green to show grass and plants and stuff."_

"_Really?" he asked, eyebrows raised, blue eyes twinkling. "And how do you know that?"_

"_Because we learned about maps at school. Mr. Davis showed us how they work. And he showed us how to use a compass."_

"_A compass?" _Yep, a compass would have been good to bring, _Castle smirked at himself. "Well, Mr. Davis is pretty smart so I guess he would know."_

"_Maybe we should sit down on those rocks and try to figure it out before we get more lost." Alexis had spoken in such a matter of fact way, making such a responsible adult-like suggestion, that Castle had a hard time hiding his proud grin. _

_They sat for a while and Alexis pointed out things on the map, explaining to her father what they all meant. Of course he knew everything she was telling him, thanks in part to the legend at the bottom of the map, but he was enjoying hearing her explain it to him so he just let her talk._

"_You know," she finally said after several minutes, "maybe we should just walk towards the ocean. I bet we can figure out where we are on the map if we can see the way the beach curves." At this idea, Castle beamed in awe. While he would have eventually come to the same idea, it was amazing to him how perceptive and strategic his little girl could be. _Maybe that's why she keeps beating me at laser tag.

_They had eventually found their way, and their location on the map, and from that point on they challenged themselves to get lost on a regular basis, just for the fun of having to figure out where they were._

* * *

"Humph." The noise brought Castle back to the present. After a few moments of looking around, looking back at the map and turning in circles, Kate finally sighed out in frustration, her heavy breath puffing the hair away from her face. "I can't...I'm not sure...ugh. I hate maps!"

Castle tried hard not to laugh at her frustration, but he was finding the way her nose crinkled and her eyes narrowed were really quite endearing. "Can I...?" He held out his hand for the map, waiting patiently for her to hand it over. He figured she wouldn't take kindly to him jumping in and just taking it from her, even though he clearly was the better map reader, so he just stood, waiting.

Finally, Kate pushed it towards him. "Fine. You think you can figure it out? Go ahead." She was frustrated for sure, but was interested to see if he could actually decipher where they were.

Castle took a couple of steps away from Beckett, closer to the ridge. He looked out across the valley, and up and down the river, noting key features in the landscape. Looking back and forth to the map a few times, he settled his finger on a spot. "Here." He held the map up to show Beckett where he figured they were.

"And just how do you know that?" she asked, skeptical and annoyed, though she wasn't really either.

"Well, see how the valley turns sharply up ahead there and that little river breaks off to the right? You can see that here on the map." He pointed to the thin blue line moving away from the thicker stretch of blue that was the river. "So," he summed up, "that would put us about here."

Kate studied the map and looked out to the river below, back and forth, back and forth. She saw from the corner of her eye that he was grinning like the cat who ate the canary and she definitely didn't want to support the satisfaction smeared across his face.

"So another quarter mile or so and we can start heading inland to the ranger's station. Come on. Let's go," she said quickly, trying to put herself back in charge.

He looked at her entirely pleased with himself. He could tell she was trying hard not to seem impressed by him and that was all he needed. A wide grin broke out on his face as he said, "Guess it's a good thing I showed up after all, eh Beckett?"

"Humph," she said again and started walking.

* * *

After another five minutes of stepping over rocks and crevices and fallen branches, Beckett and Castle turned away from the ridge. They saw more and more signs of increased foot traffic until ahead in the distance they finally spotted the ranger's station. Coming closer, Kate slowed her pace, carefully searching the trees all around. Castle slowed his pace behind her, looking ahead towards the building. Finally, they came to a complete halt behind a couple of large oak trees.

Beckett peered around the tree, taking in the scene in front of her. Castle edged up behind her and looked out from the other side of the tree. If someone had been watching from the ranger's station, it would have looked quite comical as the two heads peeked out on either side of the large oak.

"Do you see anything?" Castle whispered loudly.

Beckett glared in his direction, then rolled her eyes at herself when she realized he couldn't actually see her. She straightened up behind the tree and pulled him back as well. "Nothing. You?"

"Nah, just a bunch of trees and the building. Seems quiet enough. We should just go in."

"And that's why I'm the cop," she said smirking at him. "We can't just walk right in. What if Johnson is in there? We don't know the situation yet, so we have to be cautious. Don't you write scenes like this? What would Alexandra Jones do if she was in this position?"

Castle thought for a moment about it, kicking himself for such an idiotic suggestion. Of course he knew better than to have his lead characters brazenly rush headlong into danger without a second thought. He was beginning to realize that the situations Beckett faced everyday might not be that far from what he wrote after all. "Right. Okay, so what's our plan?"

"Well, _my_ plan is to go ahead and check things out. _Your_ plan is to stay put and be quiet until I get back."

Castle looked at her, hurt that she wasn't going to let him help. "Come on Beckett, we're partners."

"Partners?" she raised one eyebrow at him, her eyes sparkling in the faint light falling through the trees.

Castle faltered for a moment before pressing on, "Yeah, partners. I can be your backup."

"Castle, the backup usually come with their own guns and since I'm the only one who has one, you're not coming with me." The dry humor in her voice told him she meant business but that she at least appreciated his gesture. "Got it?" she added to emphasize that she really was being serious.

Castle finally relented, seeing that he wasn't going to convince her. "Fine."

Kate considered his reluctant tone, narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously. "You're not coming with me," she said again pointing a finger to his chest.

"Got it," Castle answered raising his hands in acquiescence. Kate took one more look at him, then turned and edged silently away towards the ranger's station.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Okay, here it is, quick update as promised! Hope you enjoy this one. I'm trying to balance the typical Castle humour with the intensity and suspense of where the story is heading. If you have any comments or suggestions I'm totally open to them. Thank you all so much for the reviews - they're fantastic and have really helped me to keep trying to make this story better. You're all so great and now the words are just flowing out of me!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. If I did, there would be a new episode every day, for always :)**

* * *

As she got closer, Kate could see that the ranger's station was really a single storey log cabin, set in the middle of a clearing. A long dirt road stretched away from the house, away from where she approached, but there was no sign of any vehicles in the area. She stood motionless at the edge of the tree line surveying the scene before her.

There were two small windows at the back of the cabin, the dark green paint on the window frames peeling away in places, looking weathered. Both windows were covered with solid shades, suggesting that if she couldn't see in, likely no one could see out either. There was still no sign of movement anywhere around the building.

Kate moved slowly around the edge of the clearing, behind the shelter of the trees, trying to see if anyone was out in front of the building. When she got far enough to see the empty front porch, she decided it would be safe enough to make a break for the side of the building. Holding her gun in her uninjured right hand, Kate stayed low as she crept out from the tree line and made her way to the cabin. She came to a stop at the corner of the building where it joined with the porch and peeked around, but there was still no movement.

As she looked at the cleared area in front of the ranger's station, Beckett could see the road veering to her left where it reached the trees and winding its way through the forest. Closing her eyes and steadying her breath, she listened for any sounds that might give some clue as to whether Johnson and Paige were there, but all she heard was silence. She decided it was time to go in.

Beckett slowly lifted her left leg and placed her foot quietly on the porch. The railing was high enough that she could slide underneath it onto the landing. Staying low to avoid the window above her, she managed, somewhat gracefully given her tightly strapped left arm, to crawl across to the front door. She braced her back against the wall of the cabin and worked her leg muscles until she was standing upright.

Holding her gun up to her body she looked out again across the field, taking a deep breath to steady her racing heart. Her eye caught briefly on something on the ground in the distance. She squinted trying to see further, trying to make out what the object was. Finally, Beckett realized that what she was looking at was a body. She'd almost missed it because of the dark green color of the uniform it was wearing, blending into the ground on which it lay. The ranger's uniform.

The body was too far from where she stood to know who exactly it was, but she felt she could reasonably rule out Tracy, whom they had met at the adventure park. It was definitely a man. She also felt confident that it wasn't actually Johnson lying there. All the descriptions she'd heard to this point led her to believe that he had a darker skin tone than this man. She guessed that it could be David, the other ranger they had met, but regardless of who it was, she could tell by the way the person wasn't moving that he was either badly injured or dead.

_No time to deal with that now. Gotta clear the station first._

Kate slowly turned her head and peered through the screen door, looking as far into the log cabin as she could. On the floor she could see several papers strewn about, but there was still no sign of any people.

_Maybe Johnson and Paige had come and gone and left that ranger lying in the middle of the clearing in their wake._

Not wanting to give her presence away, Beckett eased the door open as quietly as she could. There was a slight creak as the opening widened enough for her to slide through. She held her breath in hopes that no one heard. With her gun pointed out in front of her Beckett slipped into the cabin and started working her way down the entry hall.

She quickly cleared the small bathroom and a storage room full of filing cabinets, maps and various pieces of safety equipment. Next she encountered a small galley-style kitchen, also empty. Finally she worked her way to the back of the station to a large open room that was the main office space.

The room was decorated in what one might call typical style for a log cabin in the woods, including large stuffed deer and moose heads, and a couple of fish, mounted on plaques on the walls. In the middle of the room sat a worn brown leather couch and several comfortable looking arm chairs, all facing a large stone fireplace. There were also two desks and an assortment of mismatched chairs on either end of the room, facing towards the center.

The room appeared empty at first as Beckett made her way through to make sure there were no other hiding places. As she neared the desk at the far wall, however, she found that she was not, in fact, alone. Lying on the floor, arms splayed out at awkward angles, lay Tracy, the forest ranger that she had met at the adventure climbing area. Beckett rushed over to determine whether Tracy was okay. Placing her fingers on the young woman's neck, she found a strong pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Just as she was about to assess the woman's injuries, she heard the quiet creak of the front door to the cabin, followed by three footsteps. Beckett jumped up and moved over to the wall, and crouched behind a tall filing cabinet. It was possible that David, the other ranger, and probably the other body she had seen lying on the ground outside, had revived himself and was making his way into the station, but she wasn't about to take any chances. She raised her gun and did her best to steady her heart and breath. The footsteps continued to fall, getting louder with each step.

Just as the person stepped partially into the room, Beckett called out in a steady, controlled voice, "NYPD, don't move."

"Ahhh!" At the site of the gun poking out from behind the filing cabinet, Castle released a high pitched scream and dove back out of the room landing in the hallway with a thud.

"Castle?!" Beckett stood and walked quickly out to where Castle was now sprawled on the floor.

"Beckett? I didn't know where you went. I'm so glad I found you. Did you see the body out there? Oh my god my heart is racing!" Castle's words raced out of his mouth, stringing together like one long frantic word.

"Castle, what the hell?" Castle looked up at her from the floor, a dumbfounded look on his face, unsure why she seemed so angry. "I nearly shot you. _Again._ Castle, I thought we agreed that you weren't going to come with me?" She glared at him angrily.

He looked at her sheepishly, stammering out the words, almost under his breath. "I didn't come with you, I went the other way." As they came out he realized how foolish they sounded.

"Seriously? Is that what you thought by 'you're not coming with me'? You thought, 'okay, Kate's going that way I'll just go the other way. Even though I'm unarmed. Even though I have _zero_ police training. Even though it could be really dangerous.' Is that what you thought Castle? Did you actually think about it before you came barging in here nearly getting yourself killed?" With every question Beckett asked she could see Castle bristling. When she was done he just glared back at her.

"No, Beckett, that was _not_ what I thought. What I thought was, 'Geez, Kate's been gone an awfully long time and I can't hear anything and what if Johnson has her? She's hurt and she could be in trouble and I'm just standing here like an idiot not helping her.' _That's_ what I was thinking. So I came to rescue you."

The two stood fuming at each other for several heartbeats before Beckett finally backed down, moved again by his concern for her. She released her breath in one large puff, tucked her gun into the front of her waistband and reached down her hand to help him stand up.

"Is now the wrong time to tell you that I think that's really sexy?" Castle asked, an impish grin on his face as he nodded at the gun.

"Yes, Castle, now is the wrong time for that." Beckett fought the urge to smile at the way his ridiculous brain worked.

"Right. Got it. Later. No problem." He reached up to grab her outstretched hand and stood in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked, still with a slight tinge of annoyance in her voice at his second blatant disregard for her instructions.

"I'm fine. Another couple of bruises, but I'll live." Before Beckett was able to turn and go back into the office, Castle grabbed her by the back of the neck, pulled her forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. Before she could respond he raised his hands defensively, knowing what she might say. "Sorry. I'm just glad you're okay. Glad you weren't captured." He smiled.

She smiled briefly back at him, "I'm fine Castle. But Tracy's not. Come on." She led him to the back of the office where Tracy still lay on the floor.

"Oh my god, is she..." Castle's voice trailed off as he feared the worst.

"No, Castle she's not dead. But she's hurt." She turned towards the woman and knelt down beside her to see what injuries she might have sustained. "Tracy? Tracy can you hear me? It's Kate Beckett, from the adventure park. Can you hear me?"

Tracy stirred slightly on the floor, groaning as she started to revive. "The...the girl...uuuhhhh...girl..." Slowly Tracy's eyes fluttered open and she looked dazedly around her, trying to focus.

"Tracy? Can you hear me? Are you okay? We're here looking for Paige, one of the little girls that was with us. Do you know what happened to her? Was she here?"

Slowly Tracy pushed herself to a sitting position in front of Castle and Beckett. "Uuuuhhhh...my head." She gingerly touched a rather large goose egg bulging out of the side of her forehead.

"Tracy? Tracy, can you focus on me? Tracy, what happened here?"

Finally Tracy registered that Kate was talking to her. She looked past her towards Rick and recognition, followed by confusion, blossomed on her face. "Mr. Castle? What are you doing here? What...What happened?"

"Hi Tracy," Castle replied. "Looks like you were knocked out. Got a pretty nasty bump on your head there. We're looking for one of the little girls that was with us at the adventure park. We were on a hike and someone took her."

Tracy nodded, wincing with pain and rubbing her fingers lightly along the large goose egg on her head. "Yes...um...yes, they were here. A little girl with long blonde hair, and a man dressed in a ranger's uniform, but he wasn't a ranger. I know all of them that work here and I'd never seen him before."

"Yes, that's them," Beckett responded. "Was she okay? Tracy, do you know where they went?"

Tracy's eyes shifted to look at Beckett, her gaze still slightly unfocused She was having a hard time putting the pieces together of what had happened to her. Tracy looked down trying to remember, when her eyes locked on the gun at Kate's waist. She looked fearfully back up into Kate's eyes, then at Rick.

"It's okay Tracy, I'm a police officer. I was with the kids when they went climbing. Remember? Castle and I did the partner climb together." Recognition finally hit Tracy as Kate continued talking. "Tracy, I really need you to focus now. I need you to tell me everything that happened. Can you do that?"

"Okay. Yes, I can do that. Um...I was just working on something. I heard the door open and thought that David was coming back from his rounds. It seemed weird though," she stopped almost mid thought.

"What did Tracy?" Kate inquired.

"Well, I didn't hear the ATV pull up. There was no sound outside before the door opened, and then this man dressed like a ranger walked in. And the little girl was with him..."

"Paige," Castle supplied the name she was searching for.

"Yes, Paige. They walked in and he was pointing a gun at me."

"Okay Tracy, you're doing great. What else happened? Was Paige okay?"

Thinking back on it, Tracy nodded slowly, "Yeah, she was okay. She looked a little scared and confused, but she was okay. Not hurt. The guy made me sit on the couch. He was pointing his gun at me. He was standing over there, by the radio." Beckett turned back to look at Castle. They shared a look that said they had come to the same conclusion. _The radio. Don was right, Johnson was calling his partner._

"Who did he call? Could you tell? Did he say anything about where they were going next?"

Tracy shook her head, "No, he didn't call anyone at first. Just stood in front of the radio staring at it. I thought he was going to make me show him how it worked but he didn't He just kept looking at the radio and then at his watch. Like he was waiting for the right time to make the call."

"Did he ever make a call?" Castle asked curiously.

"Yes, after about fifteen minutes he finally tried. But it took a while before anyone responded, even though he seemed impatient, like the other person should be there waiting. He kept looking at his watch and was getting more and more angry the longer he waited. I tried talking to them, tried talking to Paige to make sure she was okay, but he just told me to shut up. He grabbed some food I had on my desk and gave it to Paige and told her to eat it because it might be a while before they could eat again."

"So when he finally used the radio who did he call?" Kate tried to piece together the information but she just didn't have enough yet.

"I don't know. They used names but they seemed not real, like they were nicknames or something. The guy with Paige, he called himself Otis, and he called the other guy Riker."

_Otis? Like Otisville?_ Beckett thought that made sense. _But Riker?_ Kate quickly ruled out the roguish first officer from her current guilty tv pleasure, Start Trek: The Next Generation. _But maybe Johnson was working with someone that he met in a stint at Riker's Island?_

Kate wished she new more of the guy's backstory. Her job was so much harder without the support of her fellow officers and the access to information she had in the city. _At least you've got Castle. Whoa, now where did that come from? _Kate briefly marveled at how quickly she had come to rely on him and how much she really did trust him. _Guess those trust building activities really worked._

"Do you remember where he said they were going?" Beckett returned to the matter at hand, filing away her musings for later review.

"No, they must have already known because he didn't say a place. Just said he'd be there in thirty minutes."

"Thirty minutes? Did they have a vehicle? Could they have taken yours?"

"No, not that I know of. David took the ATV and he hasn't come back yet."

Suddenly Kate stood up. She'd been so busy trying to get the information from Tracy that she had forgotten the body lying outside in the clearing. She wasn't used to having to work alone like this. She knew that she could rely on Castle for support and strength, but for the police work she was on her own.

"Castle, stay here with Tracy. I'll be back." As she started to move past him, she turned back, "I'm not kidding Castle, stay here." He nodded earnestly. He wasn't going to risk almost getting shot at again.

Beckett made her way to the front door of the cabin and peered out. The only way she could get to David was to just go, he needed help and she was the only one to give it. She drew her gun and stepped out onto the porch. As she walked towards the still unmoving body, Kate turned her body in arcs to make sure no one was around. Finally reaching him, she found that it was, in fact, David, lying on the ground. She rolled him over and found that like Tracy, he had a large goose egg growing on his head.  
"David? David can you hear me? Wake up David."

David's eyes flashed open and he stared directly at Kate, fear and panic creeping up. "Miss Beckett? What are you doing here? What's going on? Where's Tracy?"

"Tracy's okay David, she's in the cabin with Castle. She's fine. Are you okay? Can you sit up?"

David slowly pulled himself to a sitting position and Kate knelt beside him. "David, I'm a police officer with the NYPD," she started as he noticed the gun in her hand. "We're looking for Paige, one of the little girls that was with us at the climbing activity. Did you see her?"

"Yes," he nodded, "she was here with a man. He was dressed like a ranger, but I didn't recognize him. I was just coming back from my rounds and they were here."

"David, did you have the ATV? Did they take it?" Kate grew very concerned. If they had an ATV, there was no way she'd be able to catch up with them. Paige would be gone.

But David was shaking his head, "No, I was out on my rounds and blew a tire. I had to leave it in the woods and walk back. It's a good twenty minute hike from here and I didn't mention it to the guy so I don't think he would know where it was. Wouldn't do him much good anyways with the tire blown." Kate looked back at him thankful for the news. At least Johnson and Paige were likely still on foot.

"That's good. David is there anything else you can tell me about what happened?"  
"The guy pretended like he was a ranger. I didn't recognize him, but I'm pretty new here so he could have been one of the part timers that I haven't met yet. It all seemed kind of strange, but he had the uniform so I didn't really question it too much. Like I said, I'm new."

Kate nodded, prodding him to get to the point. "It's okay, David, it's not your fault. But did you see which direction they were heading? Or did they say anything?"

"When they walked up and I started talking to them, the guy pulled out a gun and swung it at me. He got me on the head before I could even get my hands up. Knocked me down to the ground. I was so dizzy. I tried to get up, but he hit me again. They started to walk away, and before I passed out I saw them head that way." David pointed in a direction that went away from the road, back towards the ridge line.

"Do you know where they might be going? They used the radio inside and called someone. Said they would meet in thirty minutes. Can you think of where they could get in thirty minutes if they went that way?"

"Thirty minutes?" David sat thinking for a moment before answering, "Yeah, they could probably get to Parker's Peak in about that time."

"Parker's Peak?" Kate asked.

"It's further along the ridge. There's a nice lookout over the valley. A lot of people park in the lot and hike into the woods from there."

"There's a parking lot? You can get there by car?" Kate asked.

"Yes. There's a small parking lot. This road takes you out to the main highway," he said indicating the dirt road that stretched out before them, "and then it's about ten minutes from there. In total, it would take you about forty-five minutes by car from here. This road is pretty windy and rugged before you get to the highway."

"And do you know when they were here? How long ago they left?" She looked down at her watch. Four o'clock.

David caught sight of the time and thought back. "Um, not that long. Maybe about ten minutes? They can't be very far ahead."

Just as Beckett was about to get David standing, she heard the door to the cabin creak open. She looked back to find Castle silently motioning for her to come back. At least he was following her instructions now. Sort of.

"Come on David, let's get you inside." She helped him up as best she could, given her injured arm still strapped to her chest, and they walked back to the cabin.

"What is it Castle?" Beckett asked as they neared the building. Taking the volume of her voice to mean that they were in the clear, that he didn't have to be quite so cautious, Castle moved out to help David into the building.

"Tracy was able to reach Trooper Jones on the radio. He's at the campsite now."

"And Alexis?" Kate asked. She had managed to push her thoughts of Castle's daughter to the back of her mind to this point, but now that he'd mentioned the kids, she realized how worried she'd been about her. Kate was inexorably linked to that little girl after the events of the last couple of days and she was becoming aware of how powerful that connection was.

Castle noted the concern in Kate's voice, realizing as well what Alexis now meant to her. He felt a warm strength rising up in him knowing that Kate cared for his daughter so strongly. The tone in her voice pretty much solidified for him that Kate was going to be a part of their life for a very long time. "She's fine," he replied reassuringly, smiling.

As Castle got David settled on the couch in the office, Beckett spoke to Jones on the radio. She filled him in on the information that she had learned from Tracy and David, including the suggestion that Johnson and Paige might be heading to Parker's Peak. Jones agreed that it was the most likely destination.

Together they formed a plan to trap Johnson in that location, and hopefully recover Paige. Jones was waiting for additional officers to arrive at the camp and would then drive to Parker's Peak. Beckett and Castle would make their way on foot along the ridge to approach them from behind. Tracy and David would work their way through the forest from another direction since they knew the terrain well and could easily find their way. Roadblocks would be set up in the area, but with a number of back roads and a limited number of troopers, there would be holes in the net. The best they could do was to cut off the main routes and check any cars coming and going.

Jones had already been in touch with Detective Montgomery, calling him immediately after hearing from Miss Travers at the campsite, and again after he arrived and ensured that all the other kids and chaperones were safe. Montgomery was on his way with several NYPD officers to assist in the situation. Jones agreed to call him again and fill him in on the plan and Beckett's status.

Tracy provided Beckett with a portable CB radio so they could all stay in touch, and so that once the NYPD officers were in range, Beckett would be able to contact Montgomery directly. But she was hoping that everything would be resolved by the time they actually managed to get there. Even at breakneck speeds, it would take them a solid ninety minutes to drive from the city.

Despite the confident tone in her voice, Beckett was worried that there were too many paths of escape, but she knew this was the best plan they could make in such a short amount of time. She was really hoping that given the rather short lead time, she and Castle would be able to catch up to Johnson and Paige before they reached the peak and hopefully prevent Johnson from ever meeting up with his partner.

After she ended the call with Jones, Beckett allowed David to tend to her shoulder injury before they left. He intricately wrapped a tensor band around her upper arm and shoulder, then placed a proper sling around her neck and secured it tightly to her body. She agreed to take a couple of ibuprofen tablets as well, but refused anything stronger for fear it affect her reaction time and concentration.

"Tracy, do you have any weapons here?" Beckett asked after swallowing down the pills and almost an entire bottle of water. Castle's eyes sprung up to her, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, we have a few tranq guns, some flare guns and a couple of rifles." Tracy took Beckett to the locked cupboard and they discussed the weapons quietly together.

After grabbing a couple of pieces, she walked to Castle and handed him a gun. "Okay partner, now you can be my back up."

"You're giving me a gun?" He asked almost incredulous. He'd fired guns before as part of his various weapons research for his books, and he was starting to get pretty decent with a hand gun, but he had never had to use one in a real life situation before. His stomach clenched nervously as he took the weapon from Beckett.

"Relax Deputy Fife, it's just a tranquilizer gun. The worst you can do is put someone to sleep."

Castle bristled a bit at her comparison of him to the lovable yet ungainly deputy from the Andy Griffiths Show. "Tell me, Sheriff Taylor, do I have to carry the bullets in my pocket?" He asked sarcastically to see how far the comparison went.

"No bullets Castle, just darts. And if you put them in your pocket, you're more likely to stab your leg and knock yourself out." She laughed lightly over her shoulder as they made their way out of the building, resuming their trek through the woods. "Just whatever you do, don't point it at me. If you shoot me with that thing, there's no way we're going on a date."

Her joke had the effect on him she was hoping for. He quickly pushed his thoughts of the dangerous situation they were heading towards to the back of his mind and chuckled lightly. "Actually you offered two dates. I don't think you can count this as one." Beckett just rolled her eyes at him. Again.

_Damn she's cute when she does that._


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: My dear readers, I apologize sincerely for making you wait such a long time for this update! Halfway into writing this chapter, I realized that my ending wouldn't work. Have you ever had that happen? I realized that Beckett was overlooking a small but vital piece of information that there was no way she would ever overlook. Thus, an entire re-write of my chapter, and an entirely new plan for the ending of my fic. It was an incredible challenge, but one I'm glad to have gone through. It actually is going to be a better ending than what I had originally planned. Add to that lots of marking and lesson planning, a family funeral out of town, and well, basically life, and I've not had as much time to write as I would have liked. **

**That being said, here it is. I really hope it's worth the wait. I appreciate your patience and encouragement and all the reviews that keep me going. And I especially thank ms TGR for your guidance, support and great ideas to help keep me writing. It's been great getting to know you :)**

**Disclaimer: Castle is not mine. Today I have increased respect for the writers who must face issues like this all the time, and manage week after week to write episodes so much better than I ever could.**

* * *

Castle and Beckett had been walking for a little more than fifteen minutes and they had made good time. David's first aid treatment and the bottle of water she had drunk back at the ranger's station had revitalized Beckett's depleted energy reserve. Her shoulder, though still aching, was at least more effectively strapped to her body, and the ibuprofen was definitely taking the edge off. All of this had led to Castle and Beckett moving quickly as they worked their way back to the ridge and along the cliff above the winding river.

Suddenly, Beckett came to a sharp halt. Castle, watching the uneven terrain below his feet, walked right into her.

"Oof. Beckett what..." Beckett turned around quickly and placed her hand over Castle's mouth preventing him from speaking any further. There was a sense of urgency in her eyes that Castle found both alluring and frightening at the same time. She brought one finger up to her lips and motioned for him to be quiet. Kate raised her eyebrows and angled her head to the side pointing to something moving up ahead. He returned her gaze and nodded to indicate that he understood her silent communication. She removed her hand from his mouth tentatively and Castle took in a deep breath to replace the one he had been holding.

"Look. There. I thought I saw..." she looked back at where, moments earlier, Beckett was sure she had seen some movement. Castle followed the direction of her gaze and looked around the trees hoping to catch a glimpse of what she had seen. For a moment, there was nothing.

"There," she quietly said again, pointing, and Castle saw it too.

"An animal?" He whispered back, at once hoping it was and wasn't a deer, or a moose, or even a bear. He wanted it to be Paige, he wanted them to find her. He wanted to be able to reunite her with her father. But he also wanted it to not be Johnson. That part of the plan was not his favorite.

Kate shook her head negatively. It was definitely a person. Even from their distant view, they could both see that it was not an animal.

They started moving again, more quickly and quietly, to get as close to the person ahead as they could without being discovered. As they did, they soon saw that it wasn't one person ahead, it was two, and one of them was wearing a light purple sweatshirt. Castle remembered again his conversation with Alexis about the hair elastics and the color of her and Paige's sweatshirts that morning. It really seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Beckett. It's Paige." Castle whispered as soon as he was sure. Beckett merely nodded, agreeing with what she already knew. Castle swallowed thickly. Now was time for the part of the plan he had been dreading.

The plan was simple really: surround Johnson and Paige from all sides so there was nowhere to run, hopefully before they reached the peak, and Johnson's partner. But Beckett had been learning from her time at the precinct that simple didn't always work, and simple didn't always stay simple.

Picking up their pace to get to Johnson, Kate worried for Rick's safety and wondered how he would manage if things got complicated. Castle hadn't yet proven himself to be good cop material, though she noted with a quiet laugh that he was good at diving for cover.

As she continued to consider their time together, she wondered if perhaps she wasn't giving him enough credit. He was highly intelligent, passionate and strong-willed. He was fully invested in rescuing Paige, as only a concerned father could be. He was steadfast and confident, at least when it wasn't his own life at risk. And he was physically strong. All these things would come in handy if their plan went sideways. If he could just follow her orders for a change, Kate believed they would all make it through this in one piece. _If._

As they walked, Beckett considered the flaws in their plan. There were three more immediate ones that she could see affecting their success. One of the major issues was that they didn't know how far ahead Tracy and David would get before angling towards the ridge. It was all guess work on everyone's part as to where exactly they might converge on Johnson. Since they had agreed to radio silence except for extreme emergencies, Beckett wasn't entirely sure where the rangers were in that moment. She wondered if finding Johnson counted as an emergency and considered contacting them to see where they were. But she just as quickly dismissed the idea, not wanting to draw attention to them if they were close enough to Johnson that he might hear their radio.

Second, Beckett was unsure of the condition of the rangers. She and Castle had discussed their mutual concern on this point as they had made their way back to the ridge. They hoped David and Tracy were able to move as quickly as they had, but given their injuries, she didn't know how they would fare. The two rangers had insisted they would be fine, but Johnson had hit them both pretty hard, and they probably should be heading to the hospital instead of into more danger. Of course the same really could be said for Beckett.

And lastly, somewhere up ahead, the terrain was about to change, and this was what worried Beckett the most. Tracy had told them before they left the ranger's station that along the path to Parker's Peak they would come to a series of caves and crevices in the side of the hill. The path along the ridge narrowed somewhat at this point and the ground became very uneven and broken. It was a slightly more treacherous route that many hikers by-passed, opting instead to work their way inland from the ridge, to get around the caves on more even ground. The area wasn't impassable by any means, Tracy had assured them, and since it was a much faster route to get to the peak, Beckett had made the calculated guess that Johnson would head that way. If he didn't Tracy and David would eventually join up with the inland path and could find Johnson from there.

But Beckett worried about what they might encounter along their route. Tracy had said that there were a few different wild animals that had taken up residence in some of those caves. Some were nocturnal and would not yet have roused from their slumber, but others might be alerted to their presence. Although they were likely to shy away from the humans, if they felt that their territory or family were in danger, they could attack. Thus, Beckett's decision to give Castle a tranquilizer gun. There was no way in her condition she could manage two weapons, so she was relying on him to take care of anything wild that they might encounter. In addition to the animals, Tracy had also mentioned that there were several twists in the path along this part of the ridge and that there would be some blind corners they would have to make their way around. All in all, not the safest place to be approaching.

Added to all of that, there was the question of whether Jones would find Johnson's partner, and the slowly approaching storm clouds that threatened to drench them all. But those two problems were less imminent than the rest, so Kate chose to push them aside and focus on the immediate.

"Beckett, I can't see them anymore. Can you?" Castle asked quietly.

"No, but I think they're coming up to the caves. Tracy said the ridge would wind to the left there. They must have gone around the bend." Without another word, Beckett picked up the pace again, and they soon found themselves in front of a cavernous opening in the side of the hill.

The ridge at this point wound lazily out of sight, around the mouth of the cave, still following the path of the river below. Beckett eased her pace here, her gun at the ready, her ears perked up for any sound of Johnson or Paige.

As they moved, Castle said under his breath, "This would be a great place for an ambush."

Kate wheeled around incredulous that he would tempt fate by making such a statement. She wasn't highly superstitious but really, given the situation, she didn't want to take any chances either. But before she could even chastise Castle for his comment she saw the look on his face change to panic and heard behind her, the unmistakable click of a gun being cocked.

"Yes, it is a good place for an ambush, isn't it?" Kate closed her eyes briefly in resignation, mouthing a silent curse. When she finally looked up at Castle, she saw dread and fear looking back at her. Being caught unawares as she was, and with no real play, Beckett could do nothing but raise her hands and turn slowly around.

Castle raised his hands also, following her lead. At the sight of the gun, and a man he could only assume was Johnson, Castle swallowed thickly. He quickly scanned the area, his hopes ultimately sinking, as Paige was nowhere to be seen.

A million thoughts raced through his mind as Castle tried to figure out exactly how to get them out of their new found situation. _What would Derrick Storm do?_ But despite the myriad ideas, Castle couldn't settle on any one in particular that might actually work. He may or may not have considered Kate's earlier suggestion to fashion some nun chucks out of twigs.

"Now, where exactly did you get that gun?" The man asked. When Kate didn't answer, he continued. "Perhaps you should toss it over to me."

Kate looked at her gun and momentarily contemplated what might happen if she actually tried to shoot Johnson.

"Ah ah ah...don't even think about it. I don't care how good you think you are with that thing, you're not going to be quick enough. Now toss it over here and no one will get hurt."

Slowly, Kate finally relented and tossed the gun to the ground between them.

"Thank you." Johnson said, not moving. Kate had thought that he would bend over to pick it up, which might give her an opportunity to get to him, but it seemed he was smarter than she'd hoped, or at least more cautious. "Now, why don't you tell me exactly who you are?"

Looking at each other out of the corner of their eyes, Castle and Beckett each tried to decide how best to play their current predicament. They both essentially considered the same questions before speaking. _Tell him the truth? Make up a cover? Would he buy it? Did he actually already know who they were? _They both assumed that Johnson had probably been watching them all for a while, waiting for a good time to get to Paige. It was likely he knew that they were chaperones at the camp, but they didn't know if he knew who they really were. They didn't know if he knew that Kate was a cop.

Before they could answer him though, a noise caught their attention. The sound of a small voice whimpering, barely a whisper, echoed out of the cave in front of them.

Johnson spoke in response, "It's okay Paige, you can come out now. Your friends are here."

Out of the mouth of the cave, Paige walked carefully towards her captor, fear and surprise colliding in her features.

"M-Mr. Castle? Off-..." Realizing that she might give away Kate's title, and ultimately put them in more danger, Castle spoke quickly, cutting her off.

"Paige, I'm so glad we found you. _Kate_ and I have been looking for you. Are you okay?" He tried to subtly emphasize Beckett's name, hoping Paige would understand him. It was possible that in their travels, Paige had already told her father all about them, but on the off chance that it was still a secret, he wasn't about to let her out Kate.

Paige looked up at Johnson, as if to ask permission to answer the question, uncertainty clouding in her features. It was clear to both Castle and Beckett that the little girl was scared. But Johnson nodded his head gently, allowing her to answer.

Looking back at Castle and Beckett, she nodded and quietly spoke, "I-I'm okay." Her voice hitched and trembled and tears welled in her eyes.

"Oh, Paige, it's okay. We're here now," Castle moved towards Paige, holding out his arms, wanting to comfort her. But Johnson was not about to allow his daughter out of his reach. He put a hand protectively on her shoulder, preventing her from moving, and pointed his gun towards Castle, who halted mid-step.

"Well, now that that's out of the way, Mr. Castle, is it? Why don't you introduce me to your _friend_." The way Johnson leered as he called Beckett his friend sent shivers up and down Castle's spine. It all but confirmed for him that Johnson had probably been watching them for a while and had noticed his connection to Kate. There was something absolutely chilling in the man's tone and Castle felt his stomach clench in response.

During this time, Kate had been sizing up their opponent. Not knowing any specific details about him to this point, she found she was surprised by the man they now faced. He was about her height, slim but strong build and had a darker complexion. He did look Latino, as Eddie had suggested earlier when he described him, but Kate was sure there was something else in his background. His hair was a mid-brown with almost golden highlights lit up by the last rays of sun peeking through ominously grey clouds approaching from across the river. His eyes were almost golden in color instead of dark brown like she would have expected. She found him intriguing to look at. Not necessarily attractive, but somehow, almost exotic.

But more than his appearance, Beckett was watching his mannerisms, his reactions, his posture. She was listening to his voice, hearing his words, analyzing his tone and intentions. She was learning a lot from him already, and she was very concerned by what she saw and heard.

He appeared to be well-mannered. He said 'thank you' when she tossed her gun to the ground. _What kind of low-life criminal says 'thank you'?_ She wondered curiously. He also appeared to be highly intelligent. Choosing to leave her gun on the ground instead of moving in to pick it up, suggested that he could see the little details amidst the bigger picture. He had waited to ambush them, instead of using the winding path to move quickly and gain a greater lead. This suggested to her that he had patience, he was a strategist, and he had a plan. A plan for all of them.

These insights into his character made Beckett very nervous. This was no two-bit dirt bag who got caught driving the getaway car. This man was not a lackey, he was a mastermind. He was the leader, not the follower. Men like Johnson didn't let themselves get caught, they chose their path, they put plans into action, they had ulterior motives.

The question Beckett couldn't get out of her head was why Johnson would have allowed himself to be incarcerated when he had a baby on the way. What was his end-game? He couldn't have wanted to stay in prison for his full sentence, so something must have gone wrong.

As Johnson looked at her expectantly, she answered with an amount of stern confidence she wasn't quite sure she felt. "Kate Beckett. And you are?"

Johnson's eyes narrowed as he considered her response, and the smile he wore sent a chill down her spine. "Frank Johnson. But why do I feel like you already knew that, _Katherine_?"

Kate winced slightly at the use of her full name. No one called her Katherine. This level of formality told Kate that Johnson probably had a good understanding of psychology. He was testing her, playing with her, trying to assess her as she had done to him.

"Why would you think that Mr. Johnson?" Answering his question with a question, Kate tried to use his own formality against him. Playing at his game for a while could help her to outwit him in the end. And she was steadily realizing that this was going to be a game of wit, not of strength. She wasn't sure if that leveled the playing field or not, but at least it was a place to start.

Castle watched their interchange with rapt attention. He knew that Kate was a relatively young cop still, but the way she was eyeing him, her response giving away nothing Johnson could use against them, her calm composure despite their obvious disadvantage, she was showing him that she was a formidable opponent.

To this point in their relationship, Castle had seen use her physical strength, stealth and perseverance, all necessary characteristics of a good police officer. He had figured she was a kick ass and take names later kind of cop. Stubborn and strong-willed and exuding power. A real Lara Croft. But now, all of a sudden, she had become attuned to the need for patience and cunning, and he could see her analyzing everything about their situation. This was a different Beckett than he knew. This was a Beckett who was going to lay a trap, draw out her opponent and let him walk right into it, without even noticing. This Beckett was crazy smart. And crazy hot.

"Now, now Katherine, we don't have time for your little games, although I do enjoy games. Perhaps we can continue this little tête à tête at another time. But for now, I must insist that we get moving. As you can see there is a storm approaching, and I would hate to have little Paige here get caught in the rain."

Paige looked up at him at the sound of her name, but it seemed all she could focus on was the gun he was pointing at Castle and Beckett. It was clear that Johnson had not yet filled her in on what was happening, why he had taken her, and she was terrified of what might happen next.

Johnson was motioning Castle and Beckett to walk past them. It was clear that he was going to take them with him, rather than dispose of them here, and he wanted them to lead the way. Smart. If they were in front of him, he could keep an eye on their movements while keeping Paige away from them. Beckett wasn't sure exactly what Johnson's plan was for them, but if he wasn't planning to take them out now, they had a chance that their plan could still work.

She decided she needed to give David and Tracy every last second she could to let them get in position to help. She needed to stall. Looking at Paige gave Kate just the idea that was looking for.

"I'd like to speak to Paige before we go anywhere." Johnson looked up at her, his eyes narrowing slightly as he tried to work out her angle, his grip on Paige's shoulder tightening imperceptibly.

"Now Katherine, what would you need to talk about in this moment?"

"Mr. Johnson, she's scared. I'd like to reassure her. And to tell her about her friend Alexis." Paige's eyes turned to Kate, the fear for her friend's safety now at the forefront of her mind. Kate was betting that Paige might be willing to take a small stand, preventing them from resuming their hike, in the hopes of hearing news about her friend. The girl did not let her down.

"Alexis? Is she okay? Did she...I mean...is she...?" Paige's voice trailed off as she thought the worst.

Kate moved a step closer to the girl and knelt down to place herself at Paige's level. "No, sweetie, Alexis is fine. We saved her. She's going to be okay." Kate smiled reassuringly to the little girl.

Without warning, Paige broke free of Johnson's grip and rushed forward to Kate, throwing her arms around her hero's neck. The power of her embrace nearly knocked Kate backwards, until Castle knelt next to them to steady her. They both returned Paige's firm hug as she sobbed quietly into Kate's shoulder. Castle rubbed his hand soothingly up and down her back, while Kate whispered _ssshhh's_ and _there there's_ and _it's going to be okay's_ in an effort to settle her down.

Beckett chanced a look at Johnson and noted with satisfaction that this was not part of his plan. He stood with his gun lowered, a faint look in his eyes that Beckett could only equate with emotional pain. He stood by, powerless to break the bond, and though his impatience and anger at the scene, and especially Castle's involvement in it, increased with every passing moment, Beckett felt a sense of accomplishment. She could see a chink in his armor a weakness, and she planned on exploiting it as best she could. Johnson loved his daughter. Regardless of anything else, Beckett now knew that he would not put Paige in a position to be hurt.

As the sobs and tears slowly eased, Beckett gently took hold of Paige's arm and pulled her back. Looking her up and down, Kate was reassured that physically, the little girl was okay.

Her voice trembled and her chin quivered, but Paige managed to speak, though it came out as barely more than a whisper. "I didn't want to go, but he said my mom and dad were waiting for me. He said he was taking me to them. But he's not is he? I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Kate looked at the bright blue eyes, glistening before her and her heart broke. "No, Paige, don't be sorry. This isn't your fault. This isn't your fault at all. I'm just glad we found you." Kate pulled the girl back into another reassuring hug and looked up to see Castle's eyes moist around the edges.

"Okay, enough. It's time to go." Johnson spoke harshly, raising his gun just slightly to make his point, bringing them all back to the present threat.

Smiling, Kate brushed the hair away from the child's face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Paige, we need to get moving now."

Paige looked up in surprise, and the fear returned to her face. "No, I don't want to. Please don't make me go. I want to go back to the camp."

Tucking a few errant hairs behind Paige's ear, Castle spoke softly, reassuringly, "It's okay Paige, we're coming too. Alexis wanted me to come and find you, to keep you safe, and I'm going to do everything I can to make sure you are. But we need to go now. Okay?" Paige's eyes roved back and forth between them in the hopes they would change their minds.

Castle and Beckett both considered scooping the girl up and making a break for the trees, but realized it was just too dangerous. They couldn't take the chance of trying to escape with Paige, not while Johnson still had the advantage of his gun. Though Beckett had deduced that he would not want Paige to get hurt, she wasn't sure how he would react if they made such a bold move. He may not fire at Paige, but he looked like he would have no problem aiming for her or Castle, and it wasn't a risk that either of them was willing to take.

Standing up, Castle took Paige by the hand and started walking forward with her. As they passed by Beckett's gun, still lying on the ground, he looked down, wishing for a distraction so he could pick it up. Beckett had the same thought in her mind but when no help came, she continued moving.

Just as Castle and Paige reached Johnson, the man spoke, "Thank you Mr. Castle, but I believe I can take care of her from here." Johnson held out his hand for Paige as she shrunk back away from him, her grip tightening around Rick's fingers. Castle paused, unsure of how to proceed. He wanted to uphold the promise he had just made to Paige, but at the same time, he didn't want to cause Johnson to do anything drastic. Kate spoke from behind them, relieving Castle of having to make the choice.

"Paige, Castle and I are going to walk in front, okay? The trail is a little tricky here so Castle's going to help me, and Mr. Johnson will help you if you need it. But we're not going to leave you. We're all going together." Kate tried to reason with the girl, raising her injured arm slightly so she could see that she would need someone to help her. She hoped Paige would be strong enough to get through this ordeal. She really had no idea how the child had made it this far.

Looking into Kate's eyes, gaining strength from her confidence, Paige managed to nod her head and released Castle's hand. They all moved forward, back on the path to Parker's Peak.

As they rounded another turn in the path, Castle quietly cleared his throat to get Kate's attention. She looked over at him as his eyes motioned down to where he was pointing at his abdomen and mouthing a word she couldn't make out. When she saw what he was pointing at she rolled her eyes and shot him a look that said 'Really? You want me to look at your penis? What's wrong with you?' She was completely confused.

Exasperated, he glared back at her and shook his head imperceptibly. Taking a quick glance behind him to make sure Johnson couldn't see his movements, Castle subtly raised his sweatshirt slightly, enough to reveal the tranquilizer gun, now tucked discretely in the front of his waistband.

Kate's eyes widened at the sight, looking at him momentarily before looking away again. No sense in giving Johnson a head's up that they were exchanging information or had anything to hide. As she scanned the area in front of them, Beckett realized that Castle must have used the distraction of Paige's hugs to move the gun from where he had put it when she had given it to him earlier. He had made such a big deal of asking her where the best place was to tuck it, beaming proudly like he was Dirty Harry or something when he finally settled on the back of his waistband. He had even practiced pulling it out quickly a couple of times to get the hang of it. And she was pretty sure she'd heard him whisper under his breath, "Go ahead, make my day."

As they walked, Beckett smiled and glanced at him from the corner of her eye. She was impressed by his quick thinking, and she could tell by the proud look on his face, that he was too. Kate was pretty sure, they would find the right time to use the gun to their advantage, that was, if she could keep Castle from doing anything stupid. She half-heartedly prayed that he didn't now believe he actually _was_ Dirty Harry.


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: The next installment...a little shorter but action, drama, suspense, romance...! Hope you like it. Thanks to everyone who has been reviewing! I love hearing from all of you!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, but I do own the inspiration it has given me. Oh, and did anyone happen to see the Castle Title screens that showed on ABC this weekend? I was in Washington DC for the weekend and saw them - I think they had the Boston skyline in the background instead of NYC. Now that's a class act right there.**

* * *

As they walked around craggy outcroppings and stepped carefully over crevices in the broken ground, Kate did her best to scan the trees without making it look too obvious. She had yet to see any movement that would indicate whether David and Tracy had caught up to them and she was worried that something had gone wrong. Based on the directions Tracy had given them, Kate figured they weren't more than ten or fifteen minutes from the peak and she really hoped that they could find a way to regain control of the situation before they arrived. But realistically, in their current position, Beckett knew they would need the back up if they were all going to get out of this in one piece.

Castle was spending the time trying to figure out his own angle to regain control. He didn't have the cop sense that Kate did, and he watched her assess their situation and ponder possible solutions with interest out of the corner of his eye. He could see her looking for a physical plan, a way to use their surroundings, to gain the upper hand.

But that wasn't Castle's way. Sure he was strong and fairly fit. He could probably even take the guy in a fight, if the opportunity presented itself. But his true strength wasn't his brawn, it was his brain. Not that Kate didn't have a keen mind, he could see the clever cunning in her eyes, but he had a style that people often found disarming. He had a way about him that people responded to, that made them feel comfortable and relax their guard around him. At least he had found that at the poker table where he regularly schmoozed his opponents into giving away their hand.

"So, what's your plan Johnson?" Castle finally broke the silence. Kate glanced up at him, a look of surprise and consternation taking over her face. She threw him a 'what are you doing?' look when he glanced over at her, but his features remained impassive. She really hoped he knew what he was doing. It would do them no good if Castle made this worse than it already was, and she'd seen him on more than one occasion, use his words to get him into more trouble than out.

"You don't need to worry about my plan _Mr. _Castle," Johnson responded, placing an emphasis on the _mister_. "Just keep walking."

Beckett had taken note of Johnson's formality and was trying to appeal to him by giving that courtesy back to him. Castle, though, seemed to be trying the alternate approach. It was like he was trying to annoy Johnson intentionally, and it seemed to be working. As she thought about it, Kate began to see the wisdom in Castle's approach. She was appealing to Johnson's character, getting on his good side, while Castle was trying to throw him off, frustrate him, make him change his game plan. Castle was forcing the good cop, bad cop roles on them, a textbook cop plan, right out of a TV show, or one of his novels. But Beckett couldn't argue with the stereotype, having seen Montgomery successfully use the tactic with some of the other detectives at the precinct. And in this case, they just might be able to make it work too.

"Well, you must have some kind of a plan. I mean, I can't imagine you would have come all this way, gone to all this trouble, without having at least some idea of your next steps." Castle continued talking, though by his unaffected tone it sounded like he was talking to himself more than to Johnson. He was clearly trying to provoke the man. Kate just hoped it would work. They could stand for something to go their way for a change.

When Johnson didn't respond, Castle continued his narrative. "Oh, but I guess we put a wrench in your plans, didn't we? Didn't expect anyone to find you before you got away? No, you must have some kind of a contingency plan. You can't have thought that you could just waltz into the camp and take Paige without someone coming after you. You can't be that naive to think we wouldn't try to get her back."

"Mr. Castle, perhaps you should remember that I am the one with the gun. You would be well advised to keep quiet, or I'm afraid you will be the victim of a terrible accident. The river is quite a ways below us, and this path is so treacherous." Castle swallowed hard at Johnson's chilling tone, hoping he wasn't pushing the man too far.

"No! I don't want you to hurt Mr. Castle. Please don't hurt him." Castle and Beckett turned back in time to see Paige grab for Johnson's arm. In a matter of mere seconds, the scene went from a calm quiet hike through the woods, into chaos and mayhem.

Kate tried to get Paige's attention so she would stop grabbing at Johnson. "Paige, no, don't..."

While Johnson was distracted, Castle gently eased the tranquilizer gun out of his waistband and kept it hidden behind his body as he too tried to warn Paige to stop. "It's okay Paige, no one's going to hurt anyone..."

Johnson was doing his best to ward off his daughter gently, but she was tugging on the same arm that held the gun, outstretched towards Castle and Beckett. "Paige, let go..."

All the while, Paige had gone into a fit of terror and panic. She was unable to hear anyone's words, or understand the consequences of her current actions. To Paige, none of it mattered. Castle was Alexis' father and Alexis was her friend, maybe her only friend. Paige had gotten to her breaking point and was no longer able to handle the stress of her captivity, and the man's threats, and her exhaustion. They were overwhelming her and she was reacting purely out of instinct and a new boost of adrenaline. She just simply couldn't take it anymore and she grabbed and clawed at Johnson like the panicking of a wild animal.

Until the gun went off.

* * *

Tracy and David worked their way through the forest carefully. They moved as quickly as they could but this particular part of the woods was thick with low bushes and fallen branches and required more labor on their parts to get through. As they progressed, Tracy could tell that the strain of the hike was starting to wear on David. The spot where Johnson had hit him with the butt of his gun had swelled up to the size of a golf ball and was now an angry dark purple. She watched him brace himself against a tree as he pushed through yet another clump of bushes and noted that his breathing had become more labored.

"David are you okay?" She asked with more than a hint of concern in her tone.

"Yep. I'm good. Just need to keep going." Tracy knew David well enough at this point to realize that he was completely lying to her. She would be lying herself if she said she was okay, but it was clear to her that he was in much worse shape than she was. Her head had at least stopped spinning and the bump on her temple had reduced to only a mild ache.

Tracy could commend David's dedication and bravery in the face of this dangerous mission, but if they were going to succeed at all, she needed him to either be on his game or at least tell her the truth so she could know what she was in for.

"Come on David. Don't lie. How are you, really?"

David let out a long sigh, "Fine, have it your way. I'm not great, but I can do this. We just need to keep going or Castle and Beckett will get ahead of us and then we're screwed. Okay?"

It definitely wasn't what Tracy wanted to hear but it was what she had asked him for. And if she was honest it was what she was expecting. All she could do was hope that he would be okay long enough for them to get Paige back. "All right well, let me know if things get worse, okay?"

Tracy paused when she didn't hear a response from David. A queasiness set in as she turned just in time to see him waver and then drop like a stone. Before she could even react David crumbled to the ground and lay awkwardly in the midst of some bushes. At least they had cushioned his fall.

She raced over to him and breathed a sigh of relief when she found that he was in fact still conscious, but the way his eyes darted around unfocused suggested that he wasn't in good shape.

"David, talk to me. Are you okay?"

David's eyes glanced briefly towards her but before he could even try to respond, something made him pause. Off in the near distance, the sound of raised voices caught Tracy's attention too. She looked all around, her eyes scanning rapidly for any sign of where they were coming from.

Quietly telling David she would return, Tracy slowly moved towards where she thought Castle and Beckett must be. Though it was hard to make out exactly what was being said, Tracy was sure that she could recognize Rick Castle's voice. To Tracy, all the voices sounded concerned, like something was not going according to plan. She climbed up over a large fallen log and jumped to the ground, landing at exactly the same time that a loud echoing bang reverberated through the words around her. She froze in place, crouched on the ground in fear.

* * *

Jones got out of his car at the side of the highway where he had pulled up behind another cruiser. The roadblock had not been set up for long, but he felt he should follow up with the officers to see if they had found anything suspicious, and to make sure they knew what they were looking for. He wished he had a picture of Johnson that he could give them, but all he had was a description from one of the kids back at the camp, and from Detective Montgomery, whom he had spoken to again after talking to Beckett. And worse, they still had no idea what Johnson's partner looked like, so there was no way to know if he had maybe already gotten past them.

"Hey Jones, what's up? Any news yet?"

"Hey Tupper. Nothing yet. Anything going on here?"

"Nah, quiet here. There's a storm on its way. I think that's keeping people at home today. But McDonald drove in to the peak, just in case, to see if anyone is already there. Haven't heard the all clear yet, but she should be back in a few minutes."

"Okay, so we should have a better chance of stopping this guy before he gets away. Keep your eyes peeled for anyone else that looks out of place. We still don't know anything about a possible accomplice."

"Yeah, you got it."

Just as Jones was about to climb back into his cruiser, a large flock of birds burst up from the forest in the distance. He cocked his head slightly to the left as he tried to determine what could account for such a rapid jump to flight. Before he could register a guess though, a loud crack echoed through the trees. Given their distance from the peak, the sound of the gun firing reached them after the shot had actually been taken, rousing the birds from their peaceful perches.

Tupper spun around to stare at Jones with a mixture of worry and disbelief. They made brief eye contact before Jones jumped in his cruiser and floored the gas pedal, leaving a wake of gravel and dirt flying up behind him.

* * *

Broken from their peaceful reverie, a flock of jays flew to the air. The loud clap of the firing gun echoed across the vast expanse of the valley, reverberating back seemingly from all directions at once. And almost before it had started, the chaos of the last few moments reverted back to peaceful silence.

Shaking her head to clear the ringing in her ears, Beckett looked down at the man who lay on the ground beneath her. The look of fear and anguish etched in her features contradicted the blank expression settled on Castle's face. He looked almost peaceful.

Kate closed her eyes to force back the tears that were welling despite her effort to remain in control. A sudden wave of adrenaline sent images flashing through her mind, forcing her to relive that last moment before she had instinctively grabbed Castle's body and thrown it to the ground.

_"No! Don't hurt Mr. Castle." _

_"Paige, no, don't..."_

_"It's okay Paige, no one's going to hurt anyone..."_

_"Paige, let go..."_

_In that briefest of moments, Beckett watched as Paige pulled at her father's arm, attempting to prevent his threats from becoming reality. She could tell instinctively that the gun was pointing directly at Castle and just as she had before with Alexis, Kate raced without thinking, to save him._

_Because they had been standing so close, just a few feet apart, Kate was unable to get much momentum behind her. But the fear of losing him propelled her with more force than she would have thought she could muster. She grabbed hold of his waist with her good arm and used all the strength she possessed to tackle him to the ground, as a linebacker sacks a quarterback. It also didn't hurt that he wasn't expecting her to try to take him down, so he put up very little fight, other than to grab hold of her arms as they collided. As they flew through the air, Kate vaguely registered the sound of the gun firing, and silently prayed for their safety. They landed hard, Castle on the ground, and Beckett on top of him, and lay unmoving for several moments._

Now, Kate looked down at Castle, and fought the urge to shake him awake. His left arm still rested lightly around her back, but his right had fallen aside, the tranquilizer gun still lodged in his hand. For one hopeful moment, Kate thought that maybe he had just shot himself with a dart and was now peacefully sleeping off the toxins, that maybe, the bullet Johnson had loosed, had not struck its target. But then her weapons training kicked in to remind her that a tranq dart would take several minutes before taking effect, so that was not likely the reason for his unconsciousness.

Propping herself up on her good arm, she tried to assess how badly he was hurt, where he had been shot. But the entwining of their bodies and the awkwardness of having use of only one arm, made it almost impossible for her to do so. Kate wished she could touch his face, to offer him some comfort, to check for breathing, anything to know he was okay. She tried to remove her arm from its sling but found a new wave of pain overcoming her and gently lay her head down on his shoulder. A wave of grief found its way to her heart and overtook her.

"Castle?" she whimpered into his ear, her voice but a soft whisper, barely audible. A single tear slid down her cheek and dripped off her chin to land on his, but still he remained motionless. Slowly, she tried to ease herself off of his body, her mind awakening to the idea that he was gone.

But before she could extricate herself from him, Castle's arm tightened around her waist. "Mmmm...don't get up yet Kate. Stay in bed..."

Kate's eyes flew open and looked in shock at Rick's face. "Castle?" she asked, stunned not just by his sudden revival, but also by the fact that he assumed he was waking up in bed with her. His eyes slowly opened and found two pools of the darkest green staring wide back at him.

"Kate? Hi..." Castle's voice had that sultry, just waking up tone that would have made Kate's heart melt if she hadn't been just so relieved that he was alive.

"Oh, Castle, you're okay?" The shock and fear were finally wearing off and Kate smiled through her tears. She leaned down and kissed his lips, his cheek, his jaw. She nestled her face in his neck and released all the anguish and fears that had built up in her over the last few minutes in a stream of tears that threatened to carry her away.

"Kate? Why are you crying? Are you okay?" Castle wiped the tears from her cheeks and smiled reassuringly.

Kate looked down at him laughing in disbelief at the almost ridiculousness of his question. She had been wondering if he was dead and now he was asking if she was alright. "Am _I_ okay? Castle, are _you_ okay?"

"Um...yes? I think so? Should I not be? What happened? Wait...did you tackle me? How did you tackle me? You're like half my size, _and you only have one arm._" Castle's string of questions ended in an incredulous disbelief.

For a moment he was almost annoyed with himself for getting taken down by a girl, but something about that moment, and the look on Kate's tear-stained face suggested maybe this wasn't the best time for jokes. But then, he watched the tension in her shoulders relax and the crease in her forehead soften.

Kate looked down sheepishly, amazed that a mere moment ago she had actually let herself foolishly jump to the conclusion that he was dead. "Well, I couldn't let you get shot. I'm pretty sure you owe me a date."

Castle smiled back at her and began to rouse more fully. Her reaction further led him to believe that Kate Beckett was probably the most perfect woman for him that he could imagine. And it didn't hurt that she had now saved both his and his daughter's lives. He knew he owed her more than he could ever repay, but he also knew he was going to spend his entire life trying.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Here it is...the next installment...we're almost at the end :( Hope you enjoy this one. And for those of you who were a little concerned that Beckett was focussing too much on Castle at the end of the last chapter, that she didn't look to Johnson or Paige, if you read just the dialog, it actually would only have been about a minute or so of time. But, as you may have noticed, I like to describe things in great detail, so it takes longer to read than it would actually have taken to experience. Just trying to paint a full picture here :) And don't worry - everything you thought was missing in the last chapter is likely in this one, so hopefully everyone will enjoy it.**

**Thanks to msTGR and The Grey Wolf Ghost for some great feedback and support! It means so much that you have my back :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. If I did, every episode would be like "Still" ...hmm...maybe I ****_should_**** own Castle... ;)**

* * *

As he tried to sit up, Castle realized the tranquilizer gun was lying on the ground beside him. He looked over to where Johnson was, to make sure he couldn't see the now unconcealed weapon. Kate looked down and saw it too. She moved gently off of Castle's body and helped pull him to a sitting position, which effectively blocked it from Johnson's sight. As subtly as she could, Beckett reached down to pick up the gun and hide it in her waistband before Johnson could take note.

Looking over at Johnson and Paige, Castle finally registered that something was very seriously wrong. Paige sat crouched on the ground, her knees pulled up to her chest, her arms gripping tightly around them. Her head was buried behind her legs and she was rocking slightly, rhythmically.

Johnson was definitely on edge as he watched his daughter, who was clearly in distress. He was crouching over her, his hand poised hesitantly above her shoulder. Castle could tell he wanted to comfort the girl but realized his touch would probably do the exact opposite.

But, despite his daughter's obvious discomfort, Johnson had not forgotten his captives. He still held the gun, pointing towards Castle and Beckett, and his eyes roved back and forth between them and Paige.

"Kate..." Castle whispered to get Beckett's attention and nodded towards the scene before them. Kate looked over and her heart broke at the sight. She didn't have to be a parent to realize that this little girl needed comfort and reassurance, but she wasn't sure that she could really provide it. Kate knew she didn't always have the best instincts with kids and she was torn between getting up to help the child and finding a way to neutralize Johnson. Thankfully, Castle took that decision out of her hands as he stood up and slowly started making his way towards Paige.

"Stop right there!" Johnson shouted, pointing the gun at Castle.

Rick raised his hands, palms up to show he meant no threat. "Johnson, please let me help her. She knows me. I can calm her down."

Johnson quickly realized the logic in Castle's request and could see that he meant no harm. He stood and slowly backed away from his daughter so that he could watch both Castle and Beckett, ensuring neither could get the jump on him. Castle moved quickly over to the girl and knelt down on the ground beside her.

"Paige? Paige, can you hear me?" he asked quietly.

"Shot...he shot him...Alexis...he shot him..." The words tumbled out over and over amid quiet sobs and Castle realized that she thought he had been shot. She was reacting to a crisis that had not even occurred and hadn't had the strength, or the courage, to see what had really happened.

Very gently, so as not to startle her, Castle placed his hand on her back and rubbed softly. "Paige? Look at me. It's Mr. Castle. I'm okay. I didn't get shot, I'm okay." Castle's shoulders slumped slightly when she didn't react at all to his reassurances. His brow furrowed as he tried to think of how he could help her.

_What would I do if this was Alexis? _He asked himself, and then the answer came to him.

Castle sat down on the ground and enveloped the girl in his arms. He pulled her in to his body until she was sitting on his lap and he held her tight, whispering words of support and assurance. "Shhh...It's going to be okay Paige. We're all okay. Shhh..." The deep resonating tone of Castle's voice was like a warm blanket wrapping itself around her. Slowly, he could feel the muscles in her tiny frame begin to relax, her breathing slowed and her sobs died down.

After a moment, Castle could sense that his words were at last getting through to her and she finally looked up at him, recognition and relief washing over her. She reached up and grabbed hold of his neck so tightly that she almost knocked the wind out of him. His eyes welled for what felt like the hundredth time that day, as he hugged her back, and felt the cool moisture of her stream of tears soaking the back of his shirt. He breathed out audibly, so thankful that, in fact, they were all okay.

His heart broke just a little bit more for her as he heard her tiny whisper, "Oh Mr. Castle, you're okay? I thought...I thought...he was pointing the gun at you...and I just wanted him to stop...and I saw you and Kate fall...and..."

"Oh Paige, I know, sweetheart. It's alright now. Shhh...it's okay. It's okay." Castle looked up at Beckett who had been watching them. He briefly smiled back at her reassuringly, trying to let her know that Paige would be okay, while he continued to rub the child's back. Kate's face was a mixture of one part compassion for the girl and one part impressed at how great Castle was with her. But Castle had studied her reactions to a lot of different situations over the past three days, and he could see right away that her look was just a facade. He could see behind her eyes that she was using this time to think of a way to get them out of the situation safely. Castle watched as her hand edged slowly to her hip, and knew she was debating whether she should try to shoot Johnson with the tranquilizer gun. Before she could make the choice, Johnson spoke up.

"Okay that's enough Mr. Castle. We need to get moving. Get up."

Castle felt Paige's grip around his neck tighten, so rather than traumatize the girl further by forcing her to walk on her own, he managed, somewhat gracefully, to stand up while still cradling her in his arms. Paige wrapped her legs around him, refusing to let go, and he made no motion to set her down.

"Put her down Mr. Castle. We need to go." Johnson's tone was firm, unyielding. He clearly wanted to get his plan back on track and the way his eyes kept shifting between him and Kate, Castle knew that he was worried about this change in their positions, worried that the balance of power had shifted. Keeping Paige with him was now Castle's aim. It gave Johnson less of an advantage if he no longer had her in his grasp.

"Please, no, I don't want to let go. Please don't let him make me, Mr. Castle."

Castle, bolstered by the little girl's pleas, stated with resolve, "I'm not putting her down Johnson. She's scared and there is no way I'm letting her go. So you decide. We either go on like this, or we're not going anywhere."

Johnson stared back at him dumbfounded. He clearly had not expected this development and appeared unsure of how to proceed. Castle had finally managed to throw him off his game and Johnson seemed to be weighing his options with little clue as to what his next move should be.

Kate watched the men glare at each other. She could see by the look on Castle's face that he was not going to give in. He was taking a stand here, drawing a line in the sand. His face had a very serious, don't mess with me look that Kate hadn't thought him capable of. She suspected that as a father, he couldn't put Paige through any more trauma than she had already had to suffer. Kate imagined that he would want someone to do the same for his daughter if it was ever necessary.

Castle was unrelenting, but she wasn't so sure about Johnson. He was shrewd and calculating and everything he had done so far had been very deliberate. She didn't know if he would be willing to change just give in to Castle's ultimatum. His response would tell her a lot more about him, about his adaptability, his quick thinking, his problem solving. Kate knew that all these clues could be used to her advantage, and the more she knew about him, the more likely she could find a weakness that she could exploit. But, she and Castle had both seen how careful Johnson was with his daughter, so her instinct was telling her that he wasn't going to do anything to put Paige in harm's way.

"Fine. You can carry her for now." Johnson acquiesced. "But don't try anything funny. Ms. Beckett won't like the results so much if you do." Johnson raised the gun to point it at Kate. Castle nodded curtly and started walking back along the path, Beckett at his side and Paige held safely in his arms.

Perhaps their luck was changing...

* * *

After a few minutes, Kate could tell by the change in the terrain that they were coming up to Parker's Peak. The path was more worn in this area, the leaves on the ground darkened with footprints, and the trees were thinning between them and the edge of the ridge. Kate felt that they were going to need to act soon or Johnson was going to finish his plan and take Paige away. But with the gun in his hand, there was little she could do.

As they walked, Castle had been scanning the trees, looking for a way out, anything they could use to their advantage. A flicker of movement in the near distance suddenly caught his attention and he squinted his eyes and leaned slightly forward to see what it was. His eyes widened then, as he realized that it was not a _what_ but a _who_.

Tracy peered out from behind a large oak tree, barely visible from her hiding spot, and made clear and direct eye contact with Castle. He saw her nod towards him, a look of questioning on her face, as if to ask if they were all okay. Castle glanced back towards Johnson as subtly as he could so as not to draw any unwanted attention, and Tracy's eyes looked to the man now trailing behind them. Her eyebrows rose slightly at the sight of the gun.

At the same time, Castle quietly cleared his throat to get Beckett's attention. When she looked over at him, he indicated Tracy's position with his eyes and felt a small measure of hope building that they might just have a chance to finally finish this. All they really needed was a distraction.

As they all worked out plans in their heads, Castle realized that he needed to warn Paige of what was about to happen. He sensed that things could get crazy very quickly, and he didn't want her to break down again. He hoped that she would be able to handle everything.

"Paige?" he whispered, but held her tight so she couldn't make any movements that might give their conversation away to Johnson.

"Yes?" she whispered back.

"Do you remember Tracy? From the climbing adventure course?"

"Yes." She replied softly.

"Well, I think she's going to come and help us out soon, okay? If she does, I want you to go with her." Castle could feel Paige's body stiffen in response. "No, it's okay, Paige. She's here to help us. I promise you that you will be safe with her, okay? I need to help Officer Beckett, because she's injured, and Tracy's going to keep you safe. Do you understand?"

Paige hesitated a moment before whispering a quiet, "Okay."

"Good. Okay. That's a good girl. You're doing great, you know. I'm really proud of you." He felt Paige hug him just a little bit tighter and he returned the squeeze.

Shielding his movements from Johnson, Castle caught Tracy's attention again. He pointed at Tracy, then at Paige, hoping she would realize what he wanted her to do. She nodded back that she understood and slid back behind the tree, concealed again from Johnson. Castle breathed a sigh of relief knowing that if he had the opportunity, he could get Paige out of harm's way.

"Kate, we need a distraction."

Beckett nodded imperceptibly. She had already reached this conclusion herself and had just arranged a way to give them one. "It's coming," she whispered back. "Be ready."

While Castle had been talking to Paige, preparing her for what was about to happen and keeping her calm at the same time, Beckett had been having her own silent communication with Tracy. Now it was up to the ranger to put the plan into motion.

Castle and Beckett both found themselves looking around at the path, the terrain, the trees, getting the lay of the land so they would be prepared for whatever Tracy was about to do. Beckett paid close attention to the ground, knowing that one of her greatest weaknesses in this condition was her lack of balance. Having only one arm available to use meant that she would have to keep her footing solid to avoid falling. Even with the tranquilizer gun still in her waistband, she wasn't going to be much help to anyone if she further injured herself by tripping over a rock or tree branch. She was thankful that in this particular location, there didn't appear to be much strewn about the forest floor that could get in their way.

Castle noted their proximity now to the ridge. As they neared Parker's Peak, the path had been getting closer and closer to the edge and at this point there was nothing between them and a fifty foot drop to the river below. He wondered absently if there was a bank along the river here or whether the cliff dropped off directly into the water. Even despite their distance from it, Castle could hear the sound of the river, the intensity of it suggested that it was moving at a fairly quick pace below them. He made a conscious effort to walk further away from the cliff, hoping that it wouldn't end up being a factor.

Castle chanced a quick look into the trees, wondering when the distraction would occur and what it might be. Nothing in the forest caught his attention but as his eyes wandered back to Beckett, he noted with some concern that she had turned more pale. It could just be that the clouds moving in overhead were taking away the color from the sun, casting a grey tone to everything around them. But, the wariness of the look on her face suggested that in fact, she was starting to suffer the effects of their long hike, her injuries, and the stress of their current situation. Castle was finding it a lot to take for him, and he was totally healthy. But she was clearly suffering, judging by the way her eyes had pierced closer together and her gait had taken on a more labored affect.

"Hey, you okay?" Castle chanced releasing his grip on Paige with his right hand to reach over and touch Beckett lightly on the back of her injured arm.

At first glance, Beckett couldn't quite control the obvious distress she was in, but after a moment she rallied and managed at least a half-hearted smile. "Good. I'm good." Castle raised his eyebrows in concerned disbelief so she added a more confident, "Really."

Castle was more than impressed by her tenacity and perseverance. For someone so young, still a rookie really, she was handling herself like a seasoned pro. He felt sure that she would one day, probably not too far in the future, make an outstanding detective. Castle gained strength and conviction of his own, just by watching her fight through all of the pain and exhaustion she must be feeling. And he was completely confident in her ability to help them get through this. She was truly remarkable.

With still no sound from Tracy, Castle began to speak, figuring the more of a distraction they could make the better. And, maybe if he took Johnson's attention away, he wouldn't notice what Tracy was trying to do.

"Look Johnson, what's your plan here? You really don't have a lot of options and I'm assuming that if you were going to kill us, you would have done it by now. So what's the deal? We can't keep going on like this. Kate's injured, Paige is scared, and frankly I'm more than a little over this whole getting back to nature thing. So, why don't we all just stop here? You can keep going if you want, but it's getting late, the storm is coming in and we need to get back to our campsite." Castle slowed his pace slightly, physically letting Johnson know they were done.

"Mr. Castle, you don't need to worry about anything right now, except walking and my gun. So you just keep moving or..."

"...Or what?" Tracy's loud, clear voice behind them was accompanied by recognizable sound of a pump-action shotgun.

Castle and Beckett stopped walking and turned to face the ranger. Johnson, surprised by the ambush took a few more steps before turning towards her, his gun wavering between Beckett and Tracy. Castle noted that the look on Johnson's face registered both surprise and fear, which he knew could make him dangerous.

Castle had studied psychology and read many real life police cases in his writing research and he knew that when the hunter became the hunted, they often became unpredictable. Hundreds of cases had shown Castle, though, that there were really only two reactions Johnson might have. Either, he would recognize the futility of his position and put his gun down, conceding defeat, or, he would act in some aggressive and likely impulsive manner. From what he had read, Castle found that the criminals who acted instead of giving up, usually did so quickly. Wanting to be ready for anything, Castle lowered Paige to the ground and placed her behind him, shielding her from both getting in the way, and from seeing anything that a nine-year-old child shouldn't see. She clung to the back of his shirt and stayed as close as she physically could. He felt torn between taking her away from the situation and staying to help contain Johnson. Shielding Paige with his body seemed the best option at this time.

Johnson continued looking back and forth between Tracy and Beckett, one with a gun, and one with a glare, but he sensed that both could kill.

"Johnson, you need to put the gun down now," Beckett said through clenched teeth. She had lost some of her strength but was still speaking to him in a controlled but commanding tone. If Castle had been in Johnson's shoes, he was sure he would have literally dropped the gun right then. She was seriously bad ass. Even without a gun.

Something in Castle's mind caught for an instant. Something...in the back of his head...a glimmer of a thought...but he couldn't quite catch it...and it was gone...

He watched as Beckett swallowed thickly, closed her eyes to steady herself, and looked back as fiercely as she could. But he could see that something was seriously wrong. She was wavering, swaying almost, like everything had finally caught up with her and now that there was the possibility that this was almost over, her body seemed to be giving up the fight. He wanted to move forward to hold her, to be her tether, to get her through this, but he couldn't bring Paige into harm's way like that.

"Kate?" he said softly reaching out an arm instinctively, though he was too far away to actually touch her. Kate looked up at him at long last, took a deep breath and shook her head like she was clearing out the cob webs. The corners of her mouth turned up, not in a smile, but at least in grim determination to make it through this.

Johnson, however, was agitated, fidgety, he couldn't seem to stand still, like his mind was running through his options, trying to figure a way out, though there really wasn't one. Finally, he raised one hand, like the raising of a white flag, and slowly bent down to place his gun on the ground in front of him. Beckett took a deep breath in relief.

"Good decision Johnson, now take a step back." Kate took another deep breath and moved in slowly towards the gun, keeping her eye on him as he took a small step back.

A thought...flickering again at the back of Castle's mind...something was wrong...they were missing something...something didn't add up...why did he put down the gun so easily? ...something about the gun wasn't right...

Castle watched as Kate moved closer. In the same moment that he saw her take her eye off Johnson to reach for the gun, Castle realized what had been nagging at him.

"Ka..." was all that Castle could get out before Johnson sprung forward and grabbed Kate with one arm, pulling a gun out of his waistband and pushing it into her side with the other.

Another gun...Kate's gun...

Johnson spun them both so Beckett was in between him and the shotgun that Tracy was aiming at them. Johnson had caught Kate by surprise and he had managed to grab her in just such a way that the slightest big of pressure was causing ripples of pain to shoot up her arm. She called out in agony as he clutched her tight to him, her eyes almost rolling back into her head with pain.

"Johnson, Johnson, don't do anything stupid now. You don't want to do this," Castle called out to him, holding Paige back farther behind him and raising his other hand, begging him to stop. Castle kicked himself for not remembering that Kate had placed her gun on the ground when Johnson had first ambushed them. They had been talking to Paige, and then started walking. When they turned away from him, Johnson must have picked up Kate's gun and placed it in his belt.

_Of course he picked up Kate's gun. How could I not realize that? How could Kate forget her gun?_

But Castle knew how it was possible that they could forget. The stress of their day, Alexis, Kate's injury, their concern for Paige, the ambush, being held at gun point, Castle almost getting shot...three times, Tracy's distraction, all of the events of that day had amassed and overwhelmed them both and they had forgotten one detail. Arguably the most important detail, at least in that moment, but stress did all kinds of things to people, and this was what it had done to them.

Kate's mind was clearly not in its right state. Her injury had clouded her judgement and her memory. It was understandable. But Castle? He had just outright forgotten. If he'd been writing this story and had the time, the thought would have come to him. He would have kept that detail in mind and somehow written it into the story so that the main characters had not only remembered that point but had somehow used it to their advantage. He wasn't sure how, but he was a spinner of tales and given enough time, he could come up with a story for any situation. But this wasn't a story, this was real life, and this mistake had cost them. _His_ mistake had cost them.

"Johnson...ughhhhh...Johnson, you don't want to do this." Kate was trying to appeal to him, but Castle knew that Johnson again had the upper hand. He wasn't going to let her go.

"Miss Beckett, you must realize by now that you have no advantage here. And there is no way I'm going to let you go."

"It's _Officer Beckett_. I think you need to realize that although you have that gun, if you do anything to harm me, you're going to have the entire NYPD hunting you down. Now put the gun down."

"Officer Beckett is it? Well now, isn't that interesting." Castle was stunned at how the guy was still so calm despite the chaos of the last few minutes. "Tell me _Officer_ Beckett, why exactly were you on my daughter's school camping trip?" Paige glanced around Castle at the sound of the word _daughter_, but he held her firmly behind him.

"Owwww..." Beckett groaned in agony, and maybe a bit of frustration, "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Castle looked at her with surprise. Was that a hint of humor in her tone?

"Officer," Johnson squeezed a little tighter, sending new waves of pain through Kate's body, "Answer my question."

"You want the truth Johnson?" Kate sounded more in control than she had for several minutes.

"The truth, Officer."

"Sure, the truth. The truth is that we knew who you were the whole time. The warden up at Otisville called my captain and warned him you were getting out. See, they already knew you had an ex-wife, and a daughter, and that you were planning on getting to them as soon as you got out. You shouldn't have had such a big mouth talking about it with your cell mate. He gave you up as soon as you got released."

Castle wondered if the pain was actually firing some fight or flight response in her that was giving her the strength to really challenge this guy who was holding a gun to her rib cage. But as she continued to talk, he realized that she was bluffing, just trying to distract him, bide her time as she slowly moved her good hand to the tranquilizer gun at her belt.

She continued on. "We've had people following you every step of the way. We knew where you were at every moment. Where you slept, where you ate, where you took a piss. We were there, Johnson. We were just waiting for you to make your move so we could arrest your ass again." Beckett was getting more angry, more fierce, with every word.

Kate slowly pulled the tranq gun from her belt and turned it so it was facing towards her. She slid the gun up against her side under her injured arm, so she knew she had the right angle and wouldn't hit herself. Johnson, unaware of Kate's plan, was shaking his head like he couldn't believe her story, But she continued on before he could speak.

"Or maybe, I was just in the right place at the right time," Beckett growled and pulled the trigger.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Wasn't Beckett kick-ass in that last chapter? I need to write more fics like that! I totally loved it! Thanks to everyone who reviewed - I'm so glad you liked it! Hope you enjoy this one too. I hope more of you will review. The feedback is great inspiration and helps give me lots of ideas for more chapters and other fics.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. As per always this season, I'm in awe of AWM and his writing team. Even though I know something big is coming next week (absolutely no idea how it will all play out and I'm spoiler free so don't go giving me any hints!) I feel oddly at peace with it all. I trust in his vision and know that it will be one hell of an ep! Though, if I did own Castle, there would be no hiatus :)**

* * *

At first, nothing happened. Johnson's grip around Beckett stayed tight, Beckett stood still with the gun resting against her side, Castle and Tracy both held their breath, waiting for something to change. Kate's eyes found Castle, who looked at her questioningly. Did she miss? But the look on Kate's face let him know that she had found her target.

And then, all of a sudden, time sped up and moved in slow motion at the same time, in a way that made Castle's stomach lurch. Johnson's eyes widened as the prick of the tranquilizer dart finally registered in his brain, and he started to back away instinctively as if he could pull away from the course of drugs that was now seeping into his blood stream. Everything seemed to be happening at once.

Castle and Beckett both knew that the Xylazine in the dart was not as fast acting as some other drugs used in tranquilizer guns, and Tracy had told them they should expect it to work within three to five minutes, depending on the size of the animal they shot. No one had really expected that they would be shooting a human with the dart, so the timing could potentially be a bit off. But so far, there had been little visible effect.

Johnson continued to back away from the group, taking Kate with him. She struggled as fiercely as she could, trying to push the gun away from her, but he held a tight grip around her and the pain of it was preventing her from getting any leverage.

Castle quickly pulled Paige over to Tracy who was still holding her shotgun pointed at Johnson. "Tracy, get her out of here." He bent down to look at Paige, who was still gripping his shirt tightly, her eyes glued to Johnson and Beckett. "Paige? Paige, look at me. Remember what we talked about? You need to go with Tracy now. It's going to be okay, just go with Tracy." Not waiting for her response, Castle stood and wrapped his fingers around the barrel of the shot gun. Tracy looked briefly surprised, but gave up the weapon and took Paige by the hand to walk quickly into the woods. She had the advantage of knowing this part of the forest well, and she was confident that she could find a safe place for them to hide.

"Paige! No! Don't take her away! Paige, come back!" Johnson called out frantically. He moved the gun from Beckett's ribs and pointed it at Castle, threateningly, as Castle pointed the shot gun back at him. It was clear that Johnson was getting desperate, and Kate used the moment of distraction to try to turn things in her favor She grabbed again at the gun and managed to push it away from its new target. Gripping his arm tightly, Beckett tried to manoeuvre herself into a better position, but her actions snapped Johnson's attention back to her and she was unable to break free. They struggled fiercely for the gun and Kate found herself fighting two battles: one with Johnson and one with the throbbing waves of pain resonating through her body.

Taking one look back at the chaotic scene in the clearing, Paige finally relented and left with Tracy.

Castle watched helplessly as Johnson moved further back away from him, nearing the edge of the cliff.

"What did you do?" Johnson wailed at them as he struggled with Beckett. "All I wanted was to get my daughter back. She's _my_ daughter. They took her away before I could even see her. I just wanted to get her back." Johnson was growling out his words, his voice deep and raspy, the words slowly starting to jumble together.

"Johnson, you need to let go. It's over, okay? Just put your gun down and let me go." Beckett tried to persuade him, but he seemed to not even hear her. Castle figured the drug must be starting to take effect.

"Johnson, let her go." Castle raised the shotgun a little higher but he knew he couldn't shoot unless Beckett moved out of the way. The gun used double-aught buckshot that would spread after being released from the long barrel of the gun. There was no way to shoot at Johnson and not hit Kate given their close proximity. He would just have to try to talk him down, or hope that the drug knocked him out.

Castle took a hesitant step towards them, worried that they were getting too close to the edge of the cliff. But Johnson still wasn't relenting. The drugs were kicking in and he was almost to the point of babbling now, but his grip on Kate remained tight.

Finally, with one last ounce of strength, Beckett made a grab for Johnson's gun, pushing it away from her body. At the same time, she reared her head back as hard as she could and caught him directly on the nose. Johnson's hand twitched and he pulled the trigger, the bullet tearing up the ground just inches from Castle's feet.

Castle yelped in surprise, incredulous that he had been shot at yet again. But when he looked back up, the scene before him took his breath away.

Johnson finally released the gun from his death grip and it fell to the ground. But the force of the blow and his hold on Kate caused him to stumble backwards, taking her with him. Their feet tangled as they retreated and before Castle could reach them, Johnson and Beckett were falling.

_No! They're too close to... Kate!_

Castle watched helpless as they fell to the ground and tumbled slowly over the edge of the cliff. Just as Kate had done twice before, Castle started running without thinking and dove towards them, the shotgun clattering to the ground. He stretched out his hands in a feeble attempt to grab onto any part of Kate he could reach. But his efforts came up fruitless and he watched the pair tumble out of sight as he hit the ground hard.

Kate suddenly felt herself falling weightlessly through the air. She and Johnson had landed hard on the ground but their momentum carried them over the edge of the cliff. As she fell backwards, out of control, all she could see was the look of sheer terror on Castle's face. She found herself instinctively reaching her good arm out to him in a feeble attempt to stop what she knew was inevitable. She saw Castle dive headlong toward her and the image of diving herself for Alexis earlier that day flashed into her mind.

"Ahhhh!" Rick heard Kate's scream as he landed on the ground.

"Kate!" He cried out after her. "Kate! No!"

For a moment there was only silence. The birds sang as they had been doing all day, animals scampered around the forest in search of their next meal, the leaves rustled more purposefully as the wind from the coming rainstorm drove them to shiver.

Castle quickly struggled to his knees and scampered to the edge of the ridge and peered over. "Beckett? BECKETT?" He drew in a deep gasp of relief at seeing Beckett below him. Somehow, she had managed to snag a tree root sticking out from the side of the cliff just a few feet below where he now lay looking down at her. Further below, he could make out Johnson, hanging precariously from Kate's legs.

Kate swung perilously from the root. She had no idea how she had been so lucky as to fall over the edge at just the right spot where her arm, still outstretched from reaching fruitlessly for Castle, had managed to capture the one thing that would prevent her from falling. But even though she felt that small moment of thanks, she knew that she was in a very tenuous situation. She had a solid grasp on the root, but there was no way that she could hold on like this for long, not with just one hand, and not with Johnson's extra weight pulling her down. Already she could feel the strain on her body.

"Help!" She called out loudly, then quieter, through gritted teeth, she murmured more like a prayer, "...oh god...no...come on, no...not like this..." Kate groaned and struggled to maintain her one handed grip on the tree root, but she could feel her hand slowly slipping.

And then she heard him.

"Beckett? BECKETT?" Castle called out again.

"Castle! Castle, I'm here!" Kate's head snapped up towards the sound of his voice.

"Beckett!"

Kate's fingers were starting to ache. She knew she didn't have long. She chanced a look down to where the river ran swiftly below, her eyes unable to focus for long on the bubbling grey water weaving its way quickly around large, jagged boulders.

"No...oh god! Castle!" She called out to him in agony and despair. Her fingers danced on the root in an effort to regain their hold.

"Beckett! Hang on!"

"CASTLE!"

Just as her fingers slipped from their perch, Castle leaned down over the edge of the cliff and reached down to grab her hand. His other hand gripped tightly around her wrist, keeping her from falling to the raging water below.

"Beckett! I've got you! I've got you. Hang on."

"Castle...oh god...please don't let me fall!"

"I've got you Kate. I've got you. I'm not going to let you fall. I've got you." Castle struggled to maintain his grip. The weight of Johnson was more than he could take and he could feel her slowly slipping through his hands. He tried again to adjust his hold on her but could feel himself starting to slip closer to the edge as well.

"Castle..."

"Kate, don't worry. I've got you. I am NOT going to let you fall..."

_God, please, please help me. Someone please help me._

"Tracy! Tracy! Help!" Castle yelled as loud as he could in hopes that the ranger hadn't gone too far with Paige. "Kate, can you get your other hand free?" Castle was doing everything he could to hang on, but he knew deep down that he wasn't going to be able to pull her up alone.

Beckett struggled with her sling and tried to move her hand out, but the sling was doing just what it was meant to, it was holding her arm close to her body, preventing any movement. "Castle, I can't...I can't get my hand out...uggghhhh...oh Castle..."

Rick looked down into her eyes and saw the tears welling. He found his own eyes moistening too, but he gritted his teeth in determination.

_This is not happening. Not again._

Castle's mind flashed back to the day before when Beckett dangled from his grasp on the climbing course. But this time, there were no ropes, no harnesses, no way he could save her.

"TRACY!" Castle yelled again, Kate's hand sliding further through his. He looked down and their eyes connected. Kate looked up at him, as a wave of foreboding crossed her face. Castle could see that she knew. She knew he wasn't going to be able to save her the way he had the day before. She knew that there was nothing left but the next few moments before she would fall to the grey water below.

She opened her mouth to speak but no words would come. Tears rolled silently down her cheeks as she stared at him and he stared back. He registered absently how the more she cried, the greener her eyes became. They were mesmerizing and he found himself wishing that he could stare at them for the rest of his life. He didn't want to lose hope, didn't want her to see that on his face, but he knew that this was it. This was the end. The end, before they even got started. A single tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek. His only admission that he knew there was nothing he could do.

They stayed that way for longer than either of them though possible, just staring, their unvoiced words travelling the short distance between them. Then, just when he thought there was no hope, in the moment when he was about to whisper an apology to Kate for not being able to do more to save her, two more hands reached down from the sky to grab Beckett's arm. Castle turned his head and was surprised to see Jones leaning down beside him. Kate looked over in surprise as well when she slowly felt herself being lifted.

Before she had traveled far, all of a sudden, Kate felt a weight drop away from her. She looked down to see Johnson falling away, arms and legs flailing, as he dropped. The tranquilizer had finally kicked in and he fell, unconscious, into the water below with a splash, then vanished in the rapids.

After that, it was much easier for the two men to hoist Beckett back to solid ground. Beckett looked back up at Castle but he was focused on the work of pulling her to safety. Other than the change in her weight she wasn't even sure if he knew that Johnson was gone. When they had finally managed to get her up, and away from the edge of the cliff, Castle took her in his arms and held on as tight as he could.

"Oh my god, Kate. Oh Kate. Oh, I've got you now. You're okay. You're going to be okay." He kissed her head, and stroked her back and her hair, and breathed her in, not wanting to ever let her go.

"Oh Castle..." Kate finally broke down in a wave of emotional fatigue and physical exhaustion. Her knees buckled and Castle was forced to hold her up, lest she fall to the ground.

"Whoa, Kate...it's okay, come, let's sit down." Castle walked her a few feet to where a large fallen tree lay at the edge of the forest. They sat down together and Kate took long, slow breaths, easing the racing of her heart and feeling the warmth and the strength of Castle's embrace.

After a few moments of blessed silence, a small voice whispered from behind them. "Mr. Castle? Kate?...er, Officer Beckett?"

Castle and Beckett pulled apart and turned to see Paige standing behind them, holding Tracy's hand. She smiled up meekly, but there was an undeniable sadness in her eyes.

Castle jumped up and, after making sure Kate was okay, picked up Paige in his arms and gave her a big hug. He held her tight in an effort to provide her with the feeling of safety and security that she had no doubt been lacking for the last several hours. He could tell she too was exhausted and just needed some comfort. Castle sat back down with Paige on his lap so he could be there for Beckett as well and the three of them huddled together for a few moments.

Finally Castle looked up at Tracy who was now standing with Jones, talking quietly. "Thank you both, so much. We just can't thank you enough."

Kate looked up as well and nodded in agreement. "Yes, thank you. You saved my life. You saved all of our lives."

Jones nodded back, "yes well if the two of you hadn't come after Paige..." He trailed off when the little girl looked up at him, not wanting to express what could have happened if they hadn't been there.

"Tracy, thank you for taking Paige. Thank you for keeping her safe." Castle looked down at the little girl and placed a light kiss on her forehead, pulling her in a little tighter to him. He knew that she needed the reassurance, but he also missed his own daughter so much that taking care of her was making him feel better too.

"Of course. I'm glad I made it in time. But if you all are okay here, I need to go and find David."

"What happened to him?" Kate asked with concern. She guiltily admitted to herself that in all the excitement she hadn't even realized that he wasn't there.

"He collapsed as we were making our way towards you. I had to leave him when I heard you in the distance and then the gun shot. But I need to get back to him."

"I'll go with you." Trooper Jones spoke up. "I think you three will be okay here for a few minutes. We'll go and find David and then I'll be back to take you to the parking area. I've radioed for some back up and an ambulance. They should be here shortly."

Silence again settled over the trio nestled together on the fallen tree. Finally, after a while, Paige looked up at Kate and opened her mouth to voice a question she had been harboring since she and Tracy had hid in the woods. Kate watched her, wondering what she might say, worried that it was the one thing she didn't want to have to answer. The little girl paused and closed her mouth as she contemplated the thoughts running through her head. She looked up again at Kate, who couldn't just leave her like that.

"Paige?" Kate asked quietly, encouraging the girl to speak.

"Paige, sweetheart, are you okay?" Castle looked down at her, concerned, having not seen the exchange between the other two. Paige nodded her head, but they could both see that she had things to say.

"Paige? It's okay, you can tell us anything." Castle tried to coax the words from her.

Finally, she mustered the courage to raise her question. "That man...who was he?" The simplicity of her question was in complete contrast to its answer. Castle and Beckett looked at each other trying to figure out how to respond. They knew she needed to know the truth, but they were both unsure it was their place to tell her. This kind of news really should come from her parents.

When neither of them answered right away, Paige continued. "He said I was his daughter. I heard him say that." She looked up at them and the look on her face melted both their hearts. Grimly, with a slight nod of their heads, Castle and Beckett silently agreed that they needed to be honest with her.

"Paige, have your parents ever talked to you about when you were born?" Castle started, completely unsure of how to proceed.

Paige just shook her head. "Not really. I asked them why they didn't have any pictures of me and my mom at the hospital when I was born. Some of my friends have those, but we didn't."

Kate, too, felt at a loss for the right words, but she couldn't let Castle handle this completely on his own, so she tried to explain. "I'm not really sure how much of the story I can tell you right now Paige. Sometimes, when the police are working on a case, we can't tell our friends about it. We have to keep some of the story a secret until we know exactly what happened. It would be really bad if we told people about it, but then we were wrong about the story. Some people could get upset or hurt because of that. Does that make sense?"

Paige looked back and forth between Castle and Beckett, but finally settled on Beckett and nodded. Kate could see she looked a bit disappointed, and Castle could feel her shoulders slump into him.

Kate struggled with how to proceed. "But I think there are some things I can say. Then maybe after we talk to your parents, and I talk to some other police officers, we can tell you more. Okay?" Paige nodded again, this time with more enthusiasm. Neither Castle nor Beckett could deny that if they were in her place they would want to know everything they could about what had happened. Castle still felt like he was a little bit out of the loop, and Kate knew there had probably been more developments since she had last talked to Jones, back at the ranger's station.

"Back in New York, I was working on a case. There was a lady who was killed and I was trying to find out who did it. We think that maybe Mr. Johnson might have had something to do with it."

"He killed her?" She asked with more than a little fear in her eyes.

"Well..." Kate's voice trailed off and she looked up at Castle. She was totally out of her depth on this one. She had no idea how a nine-year-old girl might react to the news that her biological father had killed her biological mother.

"We're still trying to figure it out for sure, Paige, but we think he did." Castle offered as gently as he could. They both held their breath while they waited for Paige to process the information.

After a moment, Paige looked up again. "I thought he was really nice." When both Castle and Beckett gave her questioning looks at the observation she made, she continued on. "I mean, when he came to the bridge, when Alexis was...and...you were...I thought he was really nice."

"What did he say to you Paige?" Castle asked.

"He was very friendly, and he asked if I was okay, because he could see that I was crying. I told him about Alexis and you on the bridge. He asked me if I wanted to go with him to go and get some help. I really wanted Alexis to be okay, so I thought maybe if I went with him, we could help her and then she would be okay."

Kate looked down at the girl and felt terrible for her. She had already been harboring so much fear and anxiety, and then added to it the guilt that she had not been able to actually help her friend. It was all so much more than a young child should have to go through. Kate knew then that she couldn't tell her too much about the real story. Paige needed time to process through these things bit by bit. Hell, they all needed that time, and Paige was so young. Perhaps if she could just keep the girl talking, they wouldn't actually have to tell her too much more and she would be able to start the healing process by getting it all out.

"What happened after that Paige?" Kate asked.

"Well, we started walking through the woods. Mr. Johnson told me that it was quite a long walk to the ranger's station where we could call for help, but I didn't mind. I just wanted to help Alexis. He asked me all kinds of questions while we were walking. About what my favorite things were, and what my parents were like. And he told me stories too."

Castle perked up at this. "He did? What kind of stories did he tell you?"

"Well, he told me about when he was a little boy. He said he never got to go to camp. But he said that he and his brother grew up in an old house with lots of trees around, so they would play all kinds of games in the forest."

Kate considered this information and added it to the growing list of things she had learned about Johnson. She would be able to put together a very comprehensive profile of him for her report when she got back to the precinct. And she wondered briefly whether Johnson's brother might be his accomplice.

Thinking about the precinct reminded her that Detective Montgomery was on his way to meet them. She wondered if he would be close enough now that she could reach him on the radio. But when she reached down to take it off her belt, she discovered that it was gone.

"Shoot," she muttered under her breath.

"What is it?" Castle asked.

"My radio. It's gone. It must have ripped off my belt when we fell over the cliff."

Though Kate had answered rather matter-of-factly, Paige's eyes jerked up at the words. "You fell over the cliff?"

"Oh!" Kate forgot that Paige didn't know what had happened to them after she and Tracy ran away. "Well, I guess I have a story I can tell you. After you and Tracy left, Mr. Johnson and I struggled. We tripped and fell backwards and rolled over the edge of the cliff, just over there." Kate pointed to the spot where she and Johnson had dropped off the ridge. Paige's eyes widened like saucers.

"You did? But how did you not fall into the river?"

"Well, Mr. Castle saved me." Kate smiled wide and looked into Castle's eyes. Even though it was a shortened version of the story, Castle appreciated the credit she was giving him. And when Paige looked up in shock at him, he just smiled back and nodded.

"You did? How did you save her?"

"Well," he started, "I ran to the edge, just as she was falling, and I caught her arm." He smiled back at Kate who was gently biting her bottom lip.

"Wow, Officer Beckett? I think you should try to always be with Mr. Castle." Paige replied looking at Kate.

"What? Why do you say that Paige?" She asked.

"Well, Mr. Castle keeps saving your life."

"Bu..." Kate started, but Castle cut her off.

"Paige, you are exactly right. I _do_ keep saving her life, don't I? Kate, I think you should take Paige's advice and just always be with me." Castle winked at her jokingly. It was about time someone tried to lighten the mood just a bit. There would be time for the darkness, but Castle knew that humor would help them just as much as talking about the reality.

"I'm not going to win this one am I?" Kate smiled and appreciated the reprieve from the difficult discussion they'd been having.

"Nope. You're not." Castle smiled back at her and pulled her in closer to him.

Just then Trooper Jones returned from the woods. "How are you all doing here?" He asked, surprised to see them all smiling.

"We're fine." Castle replied. "Where are Tracy and David?"

"Still in the woods. David's probably got a concussion and we decided it's best not to move him until the paramedics arrive. Tracy is with him now."

"Is he going to be okay?" Paige asked softly.

"Yes, I think so. I'm sure he'll be okay once we get him to the hospital where the doctors can take care of him." Jones smiled at the little girl. "We should get moving though. That storm is going to be here shortly, and we need to get to the parking area. Reinforcements should be there by now. Think you can all do a little more walking? It's not far."

"Kate?" Castle asked, not sure how she was really feeling. She seemed to be getting a bit stronger since they'd sat down, but she was still quite pale and she still looked exhausted. Still as beautiful as the first time he saw her.

"Yes, I think I can make it."

Castle put Paige down and stood so he could help Beckett up. She swayed a little as she stood, but Castle's strong arms were around her in a flash and helped keep her upright. "Are you sure you can make it? I could carry you." Castle smiled at the thought.

"No, I'm okay. Besides, you've had to lift me up enough times this week already. I can walk, but maybe you can help me a bit." Once her head had steadied itself, Kate knew she would be okay walking on her own, but she felt the need to have Castle as close to her as she could get him. He had been her tether to reality more times than she could count in the last three days and she was getting used to him being there for her like that. And she liked it. And surprisingly, it didn't scare her anymore. It just felt right.

"Sure," he said, not realizing her ulterior motive. He put his arm around her waist and held her close to his side. Kate mirrored him, placing her arm around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder. Paige grabbed on to his other hand and held it tight as they walked away from the place where they had made their stand and ended their long arduous struggle.

To an outsider, they would have looked like a nice little family on a walk in the woods. Kate and Rick were both aware of the image they were portraying and felt it could be foreshadowing on what the future might bring them. But there was a long road ahead for both of them before this picture became a reality.

"Castle?" Kate looked up at him, still leaning into his broad shoulder. He looked down at her, giving her time to gather her thoughts before she continued. "Thanks for catching me."

He smiled now, soft and warm and sincere, and squeezed her just a little tighter. "Always."

**THE EN...**

**(nah, just kidding!)**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Just as the season of our favourite show is, this story is also drawing to a close...not yet, but soon. Just prepping my wonderful faithful followers! LOL! Thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. I love it when you let me know what you think. I hope you'll keep on reviewing! There's still a bit more to write...some of you have been asking for that date scene - I'm not sure if it's in the plan, but I guess if enough of you want it, you can let me know and I'll see what I can do :) (yes that was a shameless plug for more reviews! They keep me inspired!)**

**Disclaimer: So, I still don't own Castle...but as always, AWM, cast, crew - they're all fantastic! Couldn't ask for more :)**

* * *

The parking lot at Parker's Peak was abuzz with activity. Squad cars from all over the county were pulling in, unleashing a swarm of troopers and state police officers, all collaborating in anticipation of a possible manhunt, search and rescue effort, or the most preferred, safe return of the young girl who they knew had been kidnapped. No NYPD cars had arrived yet but they were on their way. An ambulance roared into the lot, the paramedics opened the bay doors and set up for any and all possible scenarios.

The state police captain, Grint, in charge of the scene until more details could be uncovered and jurisdiction could be clarified, was preparing the officers to set up a perimeter. They knew of the plan formed by Trooper Jones and Officer Beckett, and intended to provide backup as needed. The ultimate goal was to close a net on Johnson and take him down without bringing harm to anyone.

Just as the officers set out to breach the forest, a ragtag family walked out of the trees in front of them. A couple of the newer officers drew their guns and pointed them at Castle and Beckett, surprised by their appearance.

"Whoa! Hey, fellas, easy now. We're the good guys." Castle threw his hands into the air in surrender at the sight of several guns trained on him. Beckett looked up in surprise and Paige scampered quickly behind Castle once again.

"Stop right there," one of the officers yelled at them. "Identify yourselves."

Kate spoke up in her take charge kick ass police voice, "Officer Kate Beckett, NYPD." Kate too, held up a hand to show they were unarmed.

Jones, who had been a few paces behind them, finally emerged from the trees and saw the commotion in front of him. "Whoa, guys, stand down. Put your guns away before you hurt someone." Jones continued walking towards the officers who immediately recognized him and lowered their weapons.

"Jones, shit. You surprised us."

"Hey Tim," Jones said addressing the officer, "watch your language in front of the kid." Jones indicated Paige still cowering behind Castle's large frame.

When she peeked her head around to look at them, the officer spoke to her, "Oh, hey little miss, didn't see you there. Sorry." The young officer grinned sheepishly at her. Paige caught his eye for a moment and smiled shyly back before retreating again behind Castle.

Captain Grint walked with purpose to Jones and addressed him abruptly. "Jones. Report."

"Captain Grint, situation is under control. Sir, this is Officer Kate Beckett of the NYPD, Richard Castle, and Paige Davis."

Grint looked briefly at the ragged trio, then back to Jones. "And Johnson?" The guy was all business, Castle observed. Very professional and a no-nonsense leader. It was clear who was in charge and nothing would stop him from dealing with the case first and foremost. Pleasantries could wait.

"There was an altercation sir. Johnson fell in the river. We'll need to get a dive team in place to search for him. I think he was unconscious when he fell."

Grint turned his attention back and finally acknowledged Kate. "Officer Beckett. I've spoken with Detective Montgomery. He should be here shortly."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." Beckett's demeanor had changed to match her superior. Even though she didn't report even indirectly to the captain, it was clear that the chain of command held across agencies. Castle watched with interest as he felt her spine straightening, her body rigidly held at attention. He wondered if she might salute.

"Mr. Castle, please accept our thanks for your efforts in finding Miss Davis. I'm sure her parents will be relieved and appreciative."

"Of course sir. My daughter would have never forgiven me if I didn't do everything I could to find her friend." Castle flashed his winningest smile at the captain, determined to win him over.

Grint eyed him carefully until he felt a light tug at his jacket. Looking down he found Paige standing before him, tear-stained, messy-haired and looking exhausted. "Officer Grint?"

"It's Captain Grint, Miss Davis," he said softly, kneeling down to meet her at eye level. "Are you okay sweetheart? Everyone has been so worried about you." Castle shot a quick glance at Beckett who raised an eyebrow back at him. It was almost impossible to believe this was the same man who had just addressed them both so abruptly. His dark eyes had softened and he smiled warmly at Paige, completely disarming any fears she had at addressing such an impressive figure. Castle stifled a laugh as the image of one of his and Alexis' favorite cartoon scenes flashed in his mind. _'And what happened, then? Well, in Whoville they say – that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day.'_

"I'm okay," she replied softly. "Are my parents here?"

"They're on their way. I spoke to them a few minutes ago and they're going to be so happy to see you. Maybe we should get you cleaned up a bit before they get here? Mr. Castle, perhaps you could take Miss Davis to see the paramedics and have her checked out?" Castle struggled to maintain control as Grint looked up and caught the small smirk on his face.

"Um, yes sir. Come on Paige. Let's go check out the ambulance, maybe they'll let us turn on the siren." Beckett too was struggling to maintain her composure. She had no idea why Castle had such a comical look on his face, or why he seemed so relieved to be dismissed by the captain, but it had caught her as funny. Clearly she was exhausted.

Masking her emotions she managed to address the captain. "Sir, would you like my statement now, or should I go to the ambulance with them?"

"If you feel up to it, we can get your report now Officer. I'm sure Detective Montgomery will have more questions for you, but I'd like to get the information now while it's still fresh. Can you handle that?"

"Yes sir."

"Fine. Jones, Diaz is taking statements."

"Yes sir," Jones took Beckett lightly by the elbow and guided her to Officer Diaz.

"Oh, and Officer Beckett? Trooper Jones?"

The two turned to face the captain again, "Yes sir?" They asked in unison.

"Nice work." Grint gave a brief nod and the corners of his mouth hinted at a smile before he walked back to the throng of officers getting ready to process the scenes in the woods.

Beckett glanced up at Jones who was silently watching the man. "Interesting guy," she observed.

"Well that's a first." Jones muttered, causing Beckett to raise an eyebrow in question. "I didn't even know he could smile. We all call him _The Grinch_." Beckett huffed out a small laugh and Jones shook his head.

* * *

Castle and Paige sat inside the ambulance on the stretcher while the paramedic looked them over. Paige surprisingly was in almost pristine condition, though a bit on the dirty side. She had a couple of small scrapes from running through the trees with Tracy, but otherwise, she was unharmed. The paramedics gave her some water while they tended to Castle. He too was relatively unscathed, barely a hair out of place, despite hitting the deck in rather hard fashion more times that he could count. He walked away with just a few scrapes and bruises on his arms and knees.

Castle was thanking his lucky stars that there were no gun shot wounds to add to the list. He'd also lost count of the number of times he'd had a gun pointed at him today. But he clearly remembered the two narrow misses when the guns had actually been fired. He swallowed thickly at what could have happened and an image of Alexis came to his mind.

Castle looked down at the little girl sitting beside him and was happy that they got her back safely, but now that it was all over, he couldn't think of anything but his own daughter and how scared she must be. Paige didn't look much happier than he felt at that moment. Maybe he could do something to help them both.

"Paige, I'll be right back." Castle stood up and walked toward a group of officers. Paige watched nervously as he addressed them for a moment, worried that her protector was no longer by her side. One officer nodded his head, then handed something to Castle.

"Hey Paige?" Castle said as he walked back up to her, the tension slowly easing from her small form. "Wanna call the camp and let everyone know you're okay?"

Paige's eyes lit up when she saw the cell phone in Castle's hand. She nodded vigorously, excited at getting to talk to Alexis and the other kids. Castle dialed the number the officers had given him and put the phone to his ear.

"Hello? Miss Travers? It's Richard Castle." He smiled down at Paige reassuringly. "Yes, yes, we're all okay. Paige is with me now and she's fine." He paused for a moment listening before looking down uneasily at Paige. "Um, maybe we can talk about it all later. It's...um...not a good time right now...Is Alexis nearby? Paige is here and she would really like to say hello." He handed the phone to Paige.

Castle watched patiently as he let Paige talk to his daughter first. He knew it was important for the girls to reconnect and reassure each other. Now that he knew Alexis was fine, he could wait another minute to hear her voice. Though it was killing him just a little to wait.

Just then Kate and Jones walked up and joined them. Jones talked to one of the paramedics about David and Tracy and they took a backboard out to find them. Tracy had radioed to say that David was awake and alert but needed some help getting back to the parking area.

Kate in the meantime had sat down on the stretcher next to Paige and was now looking up curiously at Castle. "She's talking to Alexis," he whispered.

"Oh. I can hardly keep up with her. She's talking a mile a minute." Kate looked at the child in disbelief wondering if she was ever that young.

"...I'm really glad you're okay too Alexis. Thanks for making your dad come get me." Paige smiled up at Castle, more than a little hero worship in her eyes. "Okay, here he is. Bye Alexis." Paige handed the phone over.

"Alexis? Hi baby. Are you okay?" Kate watched him silently while the medic tended to her injuries. Unlike Paige and Castle, she had walked away from the day with more than her fair share of wounds. Thankfully, they would all heal in time.

Suddenly, Castle put his head down, his hand covering his face while he listened to his daughter share her adventures, reassure him that she was okay and thank him for saving her friend. It was all more than he could take and coupled with his exhaustion, he was about at his breaking point. Tears sprung to his eyes and his throat constricted tightly.

"What? Yes...no, I'm still here...no, I'm fine...I promise I'm fine, barely even a scratch...yes sweetheart...no, I'm just..." Castle stood up and climbed down from the ambulance walking away for a moment of privacy with his daughter. Kate could hear him still talking, quieter now that he had moved away. "...sweetheart I love you so much...I just...you are the most important thing in the world to me...I'm just so glad you're okay...no, I'm fine...really..." he laughed lightly, "yes, I think I am crying more than you are...yes baby, I know you love me too..."

A sudden burst of pain tore Kate's attention back to the paramedic. She looked down to find that the sling had been removed and she was trying to pull off Kate's sweater. The black t-shirt underneath clung to her body, damp with perspiration. After a few awkward and painful attempts, the paramedic put the sweater aside on the stretcher and began to examine Kate's shoulder. Back to her own senses, Kate looked out to see where Castle had gone, but he had moved further away and she could no longer see or hear him.

"Does it hurt really bad?" Paige's voice brought her back again to the ambulance.

She smiled unconvincingly and replied, "Oh, it's not so bad. I'm sure I'll be back to my old self in just a few days." The paramedic caught her attention and shook her head to indicate that in fact the injury would not heal so quickly. Kate just clenched her teeth grimly, already knowing that it was going to be a long recovery. At this point she was hoping she wouldn't need surgery, but there was no sense in worrying Paige about it.

"I'm sorry you got more hurt because of me." Paige looked down ashamed that her choices that day had gotten people hurt. She was too young to really understand that this was all part of being a cop for Kate. She knew exactly what terrible things might befall her when she joined the force, but she had a need to help people that overrode any concerns she might have for her own personal safety.

"Paige, this is not your fault. Sometimes cops get hurt at work, and I wouldn't have done anything differently today, even if I had known this was how it would end. I am so glad that you are okay and I am really so proud of you for being such a strong girl. You don't have to feel bad about any of this, okay?"

"But I went with a stranger. You told us not to go anywhere with strangers, but I did." Paige's eyes remained focused on her hands, fidgeting nervously in her lap.

"Yes, I did say that. But Mr. Johnson was wearing a uniform just like the one that Tracy and David were wearing. Sometimes it's hard to know who we should trust."

Paige considered Kate's words before continuing. "So, how am I supposed to know if someone is a real police officer or not?" Paige looked up at Kate, doe-eyed.

Kate took a breath before answering. She wasn't sure there was a good or easy answer here. "Well, Paige...I don't think that there are very many people who would do what Mr. Johnson did. I think that if you see someone dressed like a police officer, you should believe that that's what they are. I can't make you any promises, but I really don't think that this will happen to you again. But if you're ever really not sure, then you should tell the police officer that they can wait with you until another adult comes, instead of going somewhere with them."

Kate smiled at Paige, hoping that she had given her good advice. The odds of this ever happening to the little girl again were really astronomical, but she could see that it was going to take a while before Paige would be able to trust law enforcement personnel, or herself, again. Paige smiled back, nodding.

"Okay Officer Beckett. I can do that."

"That's good. Oh, and Paige? I think you can still call me Kate."

"Even when you're wearing your uniform?"

Kate laughed at the girl, "Yes, sure. Even when I'm wearing my uniform." Paige smiled up at her, eyes twinkling in the fading light.

"Paige?" Castle's voice cut through the laughter. "I've got someone who wants to talk to you." Castle walked around the back of the ambulance. He smiled as he made room for two other people to join him.

"MOMMY! DADDY!" Paige squealed and jumped out of the ambulance into her parents' waiting arms. They walked off to a nearby picnic table, clearly relieved to have their daughter finally back in their arms again. The paramedic finished up with Kate, placing her arm back in the sling and letting her know she would need to go with them to the hospital to get x-rays.

Castle held out his hand and helped Kate climb down from the ambulance. The two smiled watching the family reunion for a moment before Kate turned to Castle.

"What did you tell them?" There was an edge of concern in her voice.

"Everything. They know that Paige heard Johnson call her his daughter. They know he's gone." Castle brushed a wayward hair away from Kate's face.

"How did they take it? What are they going to tell her?"

"I don't think they know yet. They're just happy to have her back. I know how they feel..." Castle's voice trailed off quietly.

"Alexis? How is she?" Kate reached over and gently squeezed Castle's hand.

"She's good. She's fine. She's going to meet us at the hospital..." Castle paused and looked down, his eyes welling up again. He played with Kate's fingers, willing himself to keep it together for just a little while longer. "I just really want to give her the biggest hug ever. She's going to hate me for a while but I'm going to have a really hard time letting her out of my sight."

Kate pulled her fingers out of Castle's and brushed the hair above his forehead. "Hey, it's okay Castle. You guys will get through this. You'll help each other through it." She reached up and kissed his forehead and he leaned right back into her, taking comfort from her strength yet again.

They stood holding each other quietly for a while, taking the opportunity to rest and regain their equilibrium. Despite the noise and hustle of the officers around them, silence engulfed them like a blanket, warm and comforting, bringing with it a sense of peace. Kate remained on edge, her police training ever present, but she felt more at ease than she had for some time. Feeling Castle's body so close to hers, his breath warming the side of her neck, comforted her in a way she hadn't felt for a very long time. Even despite the strenuous circumstances of their day, she felt safe, calm.

Castle was experiencing similar emotions. For the first time that day, he could finally feel the knots starting to release in his neck and shoulders and his breathing and heartbeat had finally regulated to normal rates. He let Kate hold him up, let her be strong for him, as she had been doing all day. He trusted her. He trusted her with his life. And more importantly to him, he trusted her with his daughter. He was hoping now that this terrible day was over, maybe they could start to consider the future together. He didn't know exactly what it would hold for them, but he knew he wanted his future to include her.

"You know Kate, I think after all this we're pretty much indebted to each other," he finally said after the stillness had settled between them.

"Wait, if I saved Alexis' life and you saved mine, doesn't that make us pretty much even?"

"No. It means that we are forever connected and that we owe each other the promise of staying in each other's lives. You know, for Alexis' sake." He looked up at her at that last part and winked, smiling.

Kate smiled lightly back. "Oh, for Alexis? Well if it's for her, I guess I can't say no. But what about you and me Rick? Alexis will no doubt be happy but what do we get out of this then?"

Castle moved in closer and put his hands gently on her shoulders, pulling her into him. "We, Kate, get this..." He leaned in and gave her a long, slow kiss. She melted into the softness of his lips, they felt silky and gave just the right amount of pressure, and it caused her knees to buckle again.

Castle pulled back suddenly, gripping her tighter. "Whoa, Kate? Are you okay? Maybe we should sit, save this for later." His concern that she was still feeling the effects of the stress and her injury, when really she was just overwhelmed by his touch, caused her to blush. Of course if he knew the truth she might never live it down. Oh, well, maybe just this once she could let him know, maybe his ego could use some bolstering.

"No, Rick, I'm fine. It's not that..." her voice trailed off as she looked down, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

"It's not...well, then what...oh!" Understanding dawned on him and just as she had expected, his smile grew to light up his face and his eyes twinkled like the stars they had seen in the night sky, what felt like a lifetime ago.

_Was that just two nights ago?_

"Why Officer Beckett, did you just swoon a little? Well, I'm flattered." He winked at her teasingly.

"Oh just shut up Castle, and kiss me." She replied moving in closer to him.

"Yes, Officer," he mocked but leaned in again. Just before their lips could connect, a voice broke them apart.

"Beckett?" Kate looked up just as Detective Montgomery walked around the side of the ambulance to find her.

"Sir," she responded out of habit, straightening her shirt self consciously.

"Beckett, are you okay?" His eyes were full of concern for his young protégée.

"Yes sir. Fine sir."

"Good. Good. The paramedics check you out?" Montgomery asked, his eyes gazing back and forth between Castle and Beckett.

"Yes sir. They want to take me to the hospital once they get back with David."

"David?"

"Yes sir. He's one of the rangers that was helping us. He collapsed in the forest and one of the paramedics and a few officers have taken a backboard out to get him."

"Right. Good then." Montgomery sounded almost distracted as his eyes settled on Castle.

"Sir, this is..."

"Richard Castle. Yes, I recognize you from your books. My wife's a big fan."

"Detective Montgomery." Rick shook his outstretched hand and smiled.

"I understand we owe you a debt for saving Officer Beckett's life." Montgomery returned the smile, but there was a serious undertone to his voice that let Castle know just how appreciative he was.

"Oh, no sir. Beckett and I are even on that score." Castle chanced a quick look at Kate and winked. She looked almost mortified as a wave of color flew to her cheeks. Castle was sensing that maybe Kate was the kind of woman who liked to keep her work life and her private life separate. But he just couldn't help himself. Things were finally returning to some semblance of normal and after all they had been through, he didn't want to waste any time hiding how he felt, pretending that he didn't care for her as much as he did.

"Oh? Is that so?" Montgomery asked looking cheekily back and forth between Castle and Beckett.

"Yes sir. Earlier today Beckett saved my daughter's life. Actually, that's how she got injured in the first place." Castle motioned to the sling supporting Kate's injured arm.

"Well, Officer Beckett, I look forward to reading your report. Sounds like you have some stories to tell."

"Yes sir," Beckett responded meekly. How was this happening to her now? It was clear from the look on Montgomery's face that he knew something more was up between her and Castle. She hoped it wasn't going to be a problem. Though by the glint in his eyes, she figured the only problem would be the teasing she now expected to face back at the precinct.

"Okay, well I've got some more things to do here before I go back to the city. I'll leave an officer here to bring you back in your squad car once you're finished at the hospital."

Castle spoke up quickly, surprising them. "Actually sir, if it's okay, I would like to bring Kate back. My daughter will be meeting us at the hospital and if I know her, she isn't going to want to let Kate out of her sight for quite some time. That is, if it's okay." Castle looked more at Kate than at Detective Montgomery as he asked the question. He thought Kate would probably feel more comfortable riding back to the city with them than with some random officer. At least, he hoped she would.

"But Rick, you don't have a car here. As much as you might want to play with the siren, you can't drive my squad car."

"Oh, well, I've already called for a car service. It's going to meet us at the hospital. I think Alexis would prefer some alone time to process everything that's happened so I thought maybe we wouldn't go back on the bus with the other kids."

At this point, Montgomery spoke up. "Actually, most of the kids are being picked up by their parents. There's only a few people going back on the bus. Just the chaperones and a couple of students I think."

_Ugh, _Castle inhaled sharply and grimaced before mouthing the word _Anita_ to Beckett. Beckett tried unsuccessfully to hide the smirk on her lips.

"Well, that seals it for me," Castle said regaining his composure. "Definitely not taking the bus. So what do you say Beckett? Can Alexis and I give you a lift back home?"

"Okay, sure. Thanks Castle." Rick smiled assuredly at her, looking forward to some time with Kate and Alexis.

"Well, Mr. Castle, if you don't mind, I do need a word with my officer. And I think that Officer Diaz over there needs to take a statement from you."

Rick snapped his attention away from Kate, her hair mussed, a small bruise growing on her cheek, and just as beautiful as the first time he saw her. "Of course." Castle walked off, but not before lightly squeezing Kate's hand.

"So, Officer Beckett. You've had a quite the adventure here haven't you? I'm sorry you had to deal with all this. But I'm very proud of how you have handled yourself. I'm going to put in a good word with the captain for you. You deserve a commendation for this."

"Thank you sir. I appreciate that." Kate tried to suppress her feeling of pride at knowing that her mentor was so impressed by her work. "Sir? I'm not sure how much you know about how Johnson got to the camp." Kate started what she worried may be a difficult conversation. She didn't believe that Don should be held accountable for his part in Johnson's abduction of Paige, but she knew it wasn't up to her. Her job was to report the facts and let the detectives and the D.A. deal with the consequences.

"Trooper Jones filled me in. I guess Don confessed what happened as soon as Jones got to the camp."

Kate looked at him with a worried expression. "Is he...? I mean will he be..." Kate wasn't sure how to finish her sentence. She was glad that Don had followed the instructions she had given him earlier and was really hoping for the best.

"I don't think you need to worry about him Beckett. I can't imagine the D.A. will want to press charges. He was clearly under duress."

Kate breathed a small sigh of relief. "And his family? Are they safe?"

"Yes, Jones contacted us and we put a detail on them. No sign of any accomplice there, but we're keeping an eye on them for a while anyways."

"Speaking of accomplices, did they find anyone in the area that might have been working with Jones?"

"No. No sign of anyone. They might have seen the roadblock and got spooked. We may never know who might have been helping him."

Beckett filled Montgomery in on more of the details of what happened that day while they waited for the paramedic and the officers to get back with David. After a few minutes, Castle and Jones joined them.

"Officer Beckett. How are you feeling?" Jones asked.

"I'm good. Thank you for helping Castle save me at the ridge." Kate flashed an appreciative look that showed just how indebted she felt towards him.

"Of course. I'm just glad I got there in time."

"How's David?"

"He's okay. A few of my officers are with Tracy and the paramedic bringing them back. They should be here in a few minutes. The terrain was a little rough where he was. I came back to make sure everything here was under control."

"Any sign of Johnson?" Kate asked, suddenly realizing that she hadn't thought to ask about him before.

"Not yet. We've got a few guys down there by the river, and there's a dive team coming in from the next county. Should be here soon. We'll find him. But I don't think there will be much to find. There's no way he could have survived. Between the drugs in his system and the fall into the river, he was likely unconscious when he hit the water and drowned."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the group as they all reflected on the events of the last few hours. Kate sat down on the ambulance bumper and her shoulders slumped. Castle sat down beside her and placed an arm gently around her back, giving her some much needed support.

"Hey, you okay?" Castle spoke quietly. Montgomery, noticing the intimate moment, took Jones by the shoulder and led him away from the ambulance to give them some privacy.

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm okay." Beckett looked up at him. He noticed the way her sad, tired eyes looked back at him and wondered if she really was.

"I thought we had established that I'm really good at reading people. You're clearly not okay, nor should you be after all you've been through." Castle hugged her closer to his side and she rested her head lightly on his shoulder.

"I'm just tired. Exhausted really. I can't believe how much has happened in the last three days."

"Has it only been three days? I feel like we've lived at least a month." When she didn't respond, Castle kissed her hair and allowed the silence to envelop them again. It was going to be a long time before they would both be able to talk about the events they had experienced over those long three days. He was thankful that they had had so many good moments between them, and he hoped those memories would be strong enough to get them through dealing with the difficult ones.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: So, things are winding down...but don't worry, I've taken all of your kind (and rather insistent) requests to heart and plan to continue this story for a little while longer. It really never fails to take way more chapters to write what I'm thinking than I ever imagined it would. Can you believe that it's taken me 35 chapters to write the events of 3 days? I know! Seriously, right? Did I mention I love words...and details...oh, those pesky details that I have to get absolutely right...and detailed. I think even my details have details!**

**Thanks again to my faithful partner in brainstorming, ms_TRG...you're totally awesome!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. I still want to...no, I'm glad AWM does...well, I kinda wish I did...maybe I could be his peppy sidekick...oh wait, that's what he's got Terri for...damn. Oh well, a girl can dream :)**

**Oh, and is it bad that I don't miss Castle yet? I think the marathon on the Space Channel on Monday helped...six episodes in a row took away some of the sting :)**

* * *

"Kate? Kate?" Slowly, Kate opened her eyes and tried to clear her head. "Kate? The paramedics are back. We're going to go to the hospital now." Kate looked around and realized that she must have dozed off for a few minutes. Her head was still resting against Castle's shoulder as they sat on the bumper of the ambulance. "If you aren't feeling great, we can go in the ambulance with David. Or if you'd rather, Jones said he can take us."

Kate felt like making a decision about anything was more than she was capable of in that moment. She looked dazedly up at Castle who very quickly took the hint and made the decision for them.

"Okay. Ambulance it is. The paramedics said they wanted to get you set up on an IV anyways. Won't be as comfortable a ride, but I think it's better." Kate looked up thankfully and simply nodded.

The ambulance ride was, as Castle predicted, not the most comfortable. David had been placed on the stretcher with the paramedic beside, monitoring his condition. They suspected the young ranger was suffering from a concussion but weren't ruling anything else out until they could take a CAT scan.

Castle and Beckett were forced to sit huddled together on the bench seat across from the stretcher, but neither of them really minded. Kate nestled into Castle's chest and he wrapped his arms around her. She slept most of the way, despite the bouncing of the ambulance, and the IV needle jabbing uncomfortably into her hand. But Castle found he was unable to stop his mind from racing haphazardly from one scene to another. His memories of the day all jumbled together and he struggled to make sense of it all, to put it in perspective.

Even his writer's brain was having a hard time focusing on a single train of thought. So much of what had happened to them could be used in his books, but he found he just couldn't piece it all together in a way that he felt comfortable with. It was one thing to tell the stories of other people, but to think of his own story in terms of a book just didn't sit right with him. He'd never thought about writing his autobiography, never thought his life was really so interesting that another person might want to read about it. Now he had a story that his fans would be clamoring for, but he just couldn't stomach the thought of writing it.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, the doctors whisked Kate away. Castle had thought about going with her to help her get settled. He wasn't comfortable with leaving Kate alone in her condition, but when he learned that Alexis had already arrived and was waiting for him in another room, he sent Kate off with a kiss and a promise to meet up with her later. Jones, who was there waiting for them, took Castle to see his daughter. He was thankful to learn that the doctors had checked her out, as a precaution after her fall, but had found her to be in good health.

When he arrived at the door, he saw her small frame huddled into the pillows on the over-sized hospital bed. He paused for a moment as the sight of her lying alone in an unfamiliar room overwhelmed him. Castle hadn't realized just how much he had missed her and worried about her while they had been apart. He realized now that she had been an ever-present thought in the back of his mind despite all the other events going on around him.

Even though it had only been a few hours, he couldn't remember a time when he had felt more separated from her. _Well, maybe that time Meredith had whisked her off to Paris without telling him._ But at least then he hadn't felt that her life was at risk. He had worried for her being in a foreign country, having to fly without him, and being at the whim of his sometimes flaky ex-wife, but despite the insanity of it all, he knew Meredith would keep her safe.

But this had been different. Her life _had_ been at risk. _Several times_. He had been there to help save her twice: in the forest, when she wasn't truly in danger, and at the bridge, when she was, but when he left her to find Paige, he left her without knowing for sure where Johnson was heading. He left her not knowing if she would be safe. Castle knew that it had been the right choice, especially given that it had all worked out and she hadn't been in any danger as she and her classmates had all made their way back to the camp. But things could have gone very differently, and he truly wasn't sure how he would have handled it if something had happened to her. She'd had a close enough call on the bridge.

_If it hadn't been for Kate..._

Castle shook his head. He could get lost in the rabbit hole of what if's if he wasn't careful. He focused again on the sight of Alexis, his gaze travelling from her flowing red hair, to her bright blue sweatshirt, to her soft, pale skin, and he reminded himself that she was here, he was here, and they were fine. They would get through the coming storm of flashbacks and memories and bad dreams that he knew was headed their way. Alexis had a lot to work through after that bridge. They both did. But he knew he could get her through it. Or at least he could find someone who could.

The Paige situation was entirely another issue. He wasn't really sure how that might play out for Alexis. She was a strong, brave child and had acted selflessly by sending him to find her friend. But when push came to shove, he wasn't sure how she really felt about the fact that he had actually left her behind. That was a powerful sentiment that could affect her very gravely if he didn't make sure that she had enough support and freedom to talk about it all.

Castle was entirely relieved that Alexis was safe and sound in front of him now, but he knew the next few weeks would be a fragile time for them and it was going to require some careful manoeuvring on his part. She was going to be experiencing a whole gamut of emotions, he was expecting everything from fear to doubt to anger to sadness to relief, and probably everything in between. He wanted to make sure she knew that she was still his priority, that she was still and always the most important thing in his life. She truly made his life worth living.

Finally pushing aside all the thoughts of what was to come, Castle took a deep breath, forced his shoulders back and walked into the room.

"Daddy!" Alexis called out as she turned and saw him enter. Unable to hold back any longer, he rushed towards her and scooped her up into his arms.

"Alexis! Oh baby, I am so glad to see you. Are you okay?" Castle squeezed her as tight as he dared, not wanting to let her go.

"Yes I'm fine. Are you okay?" She asked, also not wanting to let him go.

Castle pulled back just enough so that he could look at her face, to make sure for himself that she really was good. "I'm fine pumpkin. Just tired."

"Dad?" Alexis' quiet voice trailed off as she peered around his shoulder at the empty space behind him. Her face fell and turned pale, her bright red lips parted, though no more words came out. He felt, more than heard, her breath catch in her throat.

"Alexis? What's wrong?" He watched a single tear run down her cheek, unsure of why all of a sudden she had become so sad, so scared. She looked back up at him, concern etched in her features, and he gently wiped the tear from her face. "Sweetheart, what's the matter?"

"Kate...?" She whispered.

"What? Oh, no, honey, Kate's fine." Realization finally dawned on him that she feared the worst for Kate, even though he had told her on the phone that she was just fine. She had clearly made a significant impression on his daughter. Really, she had made a big impact on him too. "She's okay, Alexis. She's just getting checked out by the doctors. As soon as they're done we can go and see her."

Castle hugged his little girl tight to his chest, as she relaxed into him again, and he smiled at the idea that his daughter was so concerned for the woman he lov...no. No, not yet. But in a way, Castle felt that it was really just a matter of time before he would say those words to her. She was an incredibly special woman and Castle had no intention of letting her out of his sight any time soon. In fact, he couldn't imagine that he would not be spending the rest of his life with her. Looking at Alexis' face again, he thought maybe she felt that way too.

* * *

While Castle and Alexis got caught up and he told her what little of his adventure he dared for now, Kate was being wheeled around from room to room having her various injuries looked at. X-rays were all negative, nothing was broken, though it appeared that she had several bruised ribs. An ultrasound of her shoulder told the technician that she had a slight tear in her subscapularis, one of the four muscles forming the rotator cuff, and a strain of the smaller rotator cuff tendon. A CAT scan showed a mild concussion, most likely suffered when Kate had tumbled down the hill after climbing over the large fallen tree. Add to that the many, many bruises, scrapes and minor cuts riddling her body and Kate felt like more than a bit of a mess. She finally returned to her bed in the emergency room where a friendly nurse busily tended to the cuts that needed antibiotic cream and bandaging, while she waited for the doctor to discuss her test results and treatment needs.

"You must have been in one heck of a tussle," the nurse, whose hospital ID badge indicated her name was Stella, said in concern.

_Well that was an understatement._

"Um, yeah, it was a bit of a busy day," Kate replied not wanting to share more than she had to and hoping the woman wouldn't try to continue chatting. Really, this whole time at the hospital Kate had been more than a little distracted and she was not up for conversation. She realized that instead of listening to the various pronouncements of her injuries from the numerous medical personnel she had met, she had been thinking about Castle and Alexis. She hadn't seen or heard anything about them since she and Rick had parted in the emergency room, and Kate was becoming worried.

_What if there was something wrong with Alexis? What if Castle had avoided telling her that Alexis was actually hurt just to spare her? What if he didn't _want_ to tell her?_

Now that they were out of harm's way and she found herself suddenly alone, Kate wondered about the truth of their relationship. They had gotten very close, very quickly, but could everything they had been feeling really be just a summer camp crush? What if Castle realized that seeing her might remind him of all the bad things that had happened that day? What if he decided he just wasn't interested?

He had said when they parted that he would find her later, but that seemed like ages ago, and now that he was back with Alexis his priorities would have to be different. Kate knew that his focus had to be on his daughter. He'd said himself, she was the most important thing in the world to him. Not that she blamed him, he _should_ focus on his daughter. Alexis had been through a lot today too and she was going to need a lot of love and attention to work through it all. But, that clearly meant that Kate was not going to be as high on his priority list as she might like to be. Absently, she wondered if Montgomery had left yet. Maybe she would need a ride from him after all.

Kate shook her head gently. _Come on, Kate, snap out of it. Are you actually jealous of the guy spending time with his daughter? You know that Castle feels the same about you as you do about him. Seriously, snap out of it. _

Even though Kate knew that it was just the exhaustion and the stress of the day that was making her mind wander to places it shouldn't she couldn't shake the feeling of worry that had settled in her. Kate's shoulders slumped forward, causing a momentary flash of pain through her body.

"You want something for that honey?" Stella asked.

Kate looked up and tried to smile. "No, thanks. I'll be okay."

"Well, you sure are the toughest patient I've had in some time."

"Of course she is. She's the best cop in the NYPD, and stubborn as hell." Kate's eyes flew up to find Castle, holding Alexis in his arms, standing in the doorway. Unable to stop it, her mouth split into the widest smile it could, and she breathed out a wave of relief at the sight of him, of them. _Relief._

"Kate!" Alexis wiggled her way out of Castle's arms and scampered across the room to greet her. She threw her arms around Kate's waist and buried her head in her lap. Kate winced and let out a small grunt as new shockwaves throbbed through her body.

"Alexis, be careful," Castle called after her, seeing Kate's reaction. Alexis looked up afraid she might have hurt her hero.

"No, Alexis, it's okay. You hug as hard as you need to. I'm so glad to see you. I'm so glad you're okay." Kate reached out with her good arm, _well, her better arm_, and wrapped it around the girl's body. All traces of jealousy wiped away at the relief she felt now holding the girl close. Despite the soreness, Kate bent down and kissed Alexis on the head and held her tight. "It's okay, sweet girl," she whispered. "It's going to be okay. We're all going to be fine now."

Kate looked up and caught Castle's eye. He had been watching in silence, his large frame still filling the doorway. Stella, sensing their need for some privacy, cleaned up the supplies and silently retreated from the room. She threw a subtle glance at Castle as she passed by, smiling appreciatively, but he didn't even notice. He only had eyes for Beckett.

Alexis finally pulled away from Kate looking her over carefully. "You're hurt," she said simply.

"I'm okay sweetie."

"No, you're more hurt than before. You look like Tommy Penn when he got in a fight with a sixth grader. What happened?"

Kate smiled at the comparison and wondered if Tommy had really gotten pummeled like Kate felt she had. She wasn't sure how much she should say, how much Castle might have already told his daughter, so she looked up at him for guidance.

"Alexis," he said, finally coming into the room and scooping her up again. "I think maybe we should give Kate some time to rest before we start asking her the hundred questions you have in your head, don't you?"

"Thousand," Alexis countered.

"Fine," Castle replied. "I think we should give Kate some time before we start asking her the _thousand_ questions that you have in your head. Okay?"

Alexis looked back at Kate, words on the tip of her tongue just waiting to come out, her mind working in overdrive thinking about all the things she didn't know, but she simply nodded her head silently and rested it on her father's shoulder. But she never took her eyes off Kate.

Castle slowly sat down on the bed, Alexis still wrapped around him, snuggling affectionately. "You okay?" he asked quietly, taking Kate's hand gently in his.

Kate looked down as their fingers laced together, unsure of where his hand started and hers finished. She gently pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, touched by his simple gesture that made her feel so safe. She blinked back tears stinging her eyes as her exhaustion and the multitude of varying emotions filled her to the point of bursting. Castle, seeing her reaction, brought her hand up to his lips and kissed her fingers lightly.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm here now. We're safe now."

Kate just nodded and pulled their hands to rest on her cheek. She felt comforted by the warmth of his skin against hers. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself before looking up into the endless blue pools staring fondly back at her.

After the briefest moments of silence, a noise at the door broke their attention from each other. A doctor walked into the room and greeted them.

"Officer Beckett? I'm Doctor Hunter. Trooper Jones told me a little about what happened today. I guess we're pretty lucky to have you here."

Kate half-smiled back at him. The pain sharply rocketing through her shoulder, the dull aching in her ribs every time she breathed, and the many stinging cuts and scrapes made her question how lucky she really felt. But then she looked over at Rick and Alexis beside her and her smile widened. "Very lucky," she finally replied simply, as Rick smiled back at her feeling the same.

"Well, let me tell you what we've found and then you can get out of here. I see the nurse has tended to your cuts. A couple of the larger ones will need to be redressed a couple of times over the next few days, but they should all heal up quite nicely. No stitches needed. Your ribs will be tender too. We'll wrap them up which should help a bit with the discomfort, but you'll want to try to take it easy for a few days. Lots of rest and no strenuous exercise."

Kate nodded her head. She'd had bruised ribs before at the police academy and knew the drill. She wasn't looking forward to the next day when she knew they would ache more than they did now, but they would heal.

"As for your shoulder, it's just a slight tear. You shouldn't need surgery, just some therapy in a week or two." At this Alexis looked up worried. Kate noticed her looking at the doctor and tried to assuage her guilt.

"But it's going to be fine right?" Kate asked, looking at Alexis out of the corner of her eye.

"Yes, it's going to be just fine. Might take about four to six weeks to get your full strength back, but a good physiotherapist will get you back on track."

"I'm sorry Kate..." Alexis started quietly, her eyes dropping down to her lap. Kate released Rick's hand and cupped the little girl's cheek softly.

"It's okay Alexis. I'm just glad I was there to catch you. And hey, I'm going to have to do some exercises in a week or two, maybe you can help me."

Alexis looked up in delight at being given the opportunity to make up for hurting Kate in the first place.

"Really? Okay, I can do that. I can help you. I'm really good at helping. Right Dad?"

"That's right sweetheart. You can help Kate with whatever she needs."

Alexis settled back into her father again and smiled proudly.

Kate looked at the doctor again. "So? That's it? That's not so bad."

"Well..." the doctor looked back at her still a bit troubled. "You do have a concussion that has me a little worried. You never know what symptoms you might start experiencing over the next week or two, so you'll need to pay close attention to any changes you might feel."

"Changes?" Rick asked worriedly. "What kind of changes?"

"Well, she's likely going to have a headache. She might feel dizzy or weak, especially if she gets up too quickly. Other symptoms could be lack of focus and concentration, difficulties reading, memory lapses...it really is different for every patient. I would feel a lot better if I knew you had someone you could stay with for a few days who could keep an eye on you."

"Um...well, my dad's out of town on vacation this week..." Castle looked at Kate, an idea forming in his mind. He wasn't sure how she'd feel about it, but frankly it was exactly the thing he had been hoping for.

"Well, you're going to have enough difficulties doing the day to day tasks with all your other injuries. Add the concussion and you really shouldn't be on your own."

"That's okay, Doctor. She can stay with us." Rick offered.

"Yes!" Alexis perked up at the thought of having Kate there with them for a few days.

"What?" Kate's eyes flew to his. "No, that's too much Rick. I couldn't ask..."

Rick cut her off. "You're not asking, I'm offering. And I'm not taking no for an answer so don't even try. I can be pretty stubborn too, you know."

Kate gasped out softly, unsure of what to say. It wasn't that she didn't want to stay with Rick, but she definitely didn't think that she would be spending the night at his place so early in their relationship. She worried that it would all be too much pressure. She didn't want to risk ruining what was developing between them by moving too fast. And she had no idea what he was expecting by offering to take her in. With all her injuries, she really just needed somewhere that she could spend some quiet time reflecting and recuperating.

Sensing her hesitation, Castle took her hand in his again. He wanted to assure her that he could take good care of her, and frankly, he didn't want to let her out of his sight if he didn't have to. He knew he shouldn't press her too hard, but he was convinced that having the three of them together for a while would help them all to deal with the events of the day.

"Look Kate, I've got a spare room, you need someone to look after you, and you already promised Alexis she could help you. You wouldn't want to let her down." Rick winked and smiled reassuringly.

"Rick, I..."

"Oh Kate, please! Please come and stay with us. I can help change your Band-Aids, and make you cereal for breakfast, and we can watch movies on the couch. It'll be so fun. Please Kate?"

Kate's eyes roved back and forth between Rick and Alexis. She wanted to say yes, and she believed that Alexis might really benefit from some time with her. If she was honest about it, Kate felt like she needed some time with the little girl too. Something about her just made Kate feel at peace, like she had found home. "Well..." Kate started giving in but didn't need to finish her sentence.

"Yes! I knew you'd say yes! Kate we're going to take such good care of you." Alexis smiled brightly.

"Wait, how did you know I was saying yes?" Kate asked jokingly.

Alexis just shrugged. "Well, that's how my daddy sounds whenever he's going to give me what I want."

"Hey!" Castle countered.

"It's true," Alexis joked back.

"Ugh, who am I kidding, it's true." Castle resigned to his daughter's assertion, and then looked up at Kate. "What do you say officer?"

"Well, okay. I guess I could stay for a day or two."

Castle smiled victoriously. In the back of his mind he was already planning their time together. He was just confident enough to believe she'd end up being there for a lot longer than a day or two.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Well, here it is, FINALLY! I'm so sorry for the long wait for this chapter - I have been madly marking the what felt like thousands of year-end essays for my students (I so hate the month of May!). I appreciate your patience and hope that this chapter is worth the wait. I promise the next chapter will come much more swiftly...it's actually almost done, as is all my marking, so I have a lot more free time to write (I so LOVE June, July and August!). As always, I truly appreciate all your feedback so please review! And, thanks to ms_TRG for unending support and for helping me get Kate's thought process just right. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. I can't believe we still have three months to wait, but at least I can play around with my own version of their stories to tide me over!**

* * *

Finally discharged, the three walked together out of the hospital. Jones greeted them at the door to say his goodbyes.  
"Trooper Jones, thank you so much for everything." Kate said, a wide smile beaming at him.

"Please, call me Alex." Jones replied. "I think after all we've been through, we can drop the formalities."

Castle and Beckett stared at him, jaws slack, then looked at each other curiously.

"What?" Jones asked, unsure of what the joke was.

"Your name is Alex?" Rick asked surprised.

"Yes. Why? What am I missing?"

"Well, clearly not a fan I guess," Castle muttered under his breath as Kate rolled her eyes at him.

"Castle wrote a book who's main character is Alexandra Jones. Alex. We talked about her a few times this week. She's kind of my favorite of his characters." Castle now turned his look of surprise on Kate.

"Really? You didn't tell me that."

"Well, I thought maybe you would have guessed by now. Plus she's pretty much awesome," Kate said.

She had told him that _Kissed and Killed_, the story that featured Alexandra Jones, had been the first of his books that she had read after her mother was killed. He knew that it inspired her to buy the rest of his books, to wait in line at one of his book signings, but he hadn't realized how much she must identify with the character. Although, now thinking back on it, Kate had mentioned her a couple of times, and the character had definitely been in his head since meeting Beckett. He could see a lot of similarities in them.

"Well, I'm sorry I haven't read the book," Jones said.

"I'll send you a copy," Castle replied smiling. "In fact, after everything you've done for us, I'll send you a copy of all my books."

Jones and Castle shook hands and said their goodbyes while Alexis climbed into the waiting car. Kate was initially shocked to see the long black stretch limo waiting for them, but really she was so tired, she just didn't have the energy to think about the reality of Castle's wealth and what it meant for her now that they were..._dating? Well, involved maybe? Ugh! Too much to think about now._

"Kate, could I have a word before you get on your way?" When Kate looked up at Jones, she realized that there was something about the tension in his eyes that suggested she wasn't going to like what he had to tell her. He glanced at Castle and back at her, signalling he wanted to talk to her in private.

"Sure. Castle, why don't you get Alexis settled and I'll be right there." She tried to cover the tension in her eyes with a smile, but she figured by the look on Castle's face that she really wasn't hiding it that well. When he hesitated to leave, she took his hand and squeezed.

Castle recognized the look between Jones and Beckett and knew that there was something important that they weren't telling him. He was a little disappointed that they weren't willing to share whatever it was with him. After all that they had been through today, he felt like he deserved to know what was going on. But, when Kate squeezed his hand, he realized that no matter how much he had been involved in the case today, it didn't make him a cop, and he needed to let her do her job. After today, all he wanted to do was protect her, but if things were going to really work between them, no matter how much he hated it, Castle had to give her space. And who knew? Maybe she would fill him in later. Either way, he had to trust her. Finally he relented and joined Alexis in the car.

Turning back to Jones, Beckett's smile dropped from her face. "Okay, what's up?"

Jones shifted uncomfortably. "Well, it's still early. We've only had divers in the water for a short time, but..."

"What?" Kate suddenly felt a knot growing in the pit of her stomach.

"Well, we haven't found anything yet. We haven't found Johnson." Jones looked at her nervously.

As she processed the information, Kate tried to come up with a rational explanation. "Well, like you said, it's still early. I'm sure with the current, maybe he just drifted farther along the river than the divers thought."

"Well, it's possible."

"So why do you sound so worried?"

"It's just that the current in that spot is pretty fast, but there's a bend in the river not far from Parker's Peak. And, with the speed of the water and the rocky shore there, usually things wash up on the beach in that area. Happens all the time. Things just seem to get pushed ashore - backpacks, tires, lost clothing, heck, we even found a toilet seat there once. Thing is, we're not really sure why Johnson didn't wash up there."

Kate swallowed hard, not liking what she was hearing. "Jones, there's no way he survived. I shot him with the tranquilizer gun. And when he fell into the river," Kate swallowed hard again, blinking back the image of Johnson's limp, lifeless body crashing into the water below her while she hung on for dear life. "When he fell into the river, he was unconscious. I know he was. They'll just have to keep looking. He's there; they just have to keep looking."

Jones shifted again, trying to figure out what the best thing was to say. He didn't want to get her upset. Beckett clearly needed to get some rest, and maybe she was right, maybe they just needed to keep looking.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'll find him. I'm heading back out there now. Maybe they've found him already."

"Kate? You ready?" Castle called from the open back door of the limo. He didn't want to interrupt, but he could tell from the shift in her body language that whatever Jones was telling her was weighing her down. And he knew that she needed to rest. Whatever they were talking about could wait, at least until she'd gotten a good night's sleep.

Kate turned around, distracted both by Castle's voice and by the new information she was still processing. "Well, I should go. Thanks again for everything Jones...Alex." She reached out and gave him a tentative hug, not sure of what the etiquette was. But she owed him her life and a simple handshake just didn't feel like enough. As she pulled back, she lingered a moment with her hand still on his shoulder. Looking up into his eyes, she quietly added, "You'll let me know what you find?"

Jones smiled softly and nodded. "Of course."

Giving him one last smile of thanks, Beckett got into the car. As they waved goodbye to the trooper, Kate worried about the news he had just given her and wondered how long it would be before they managed to find Johnson's body. She knew she would see Jones again - he would have to come down to the station at some point to give his statement. She was hoping by then that they would have found Johnson and that they could finally close the case on him. But something nagging in the back of her mind made her wonder if that would actually happen.

"Hey, everything okay?" Castle asked quietly taking her hand in his.

"Hmm? Yeah, everything's fine."

"What did Jones say?"

Kate wondered for a moment how much she should share with Castle. She knew he deserved to know what Jones had told her after all he'd been through today. But she didn't want to worry him, when it was likely that Jones would call her in a couple of hours and say they had found the body. "Nothing really, just wanted to thank me again for getting Paige back safely." She wanted to protect him as much as he wanted to protect her.

Castle suspected that she wasn't being fully honest with him. A number of thoughts floated through his mind, but he settled on the same one he had before. If they were going to work, he couldn't push her too hard. Kate was a woman who took time to process things, she weighed the evidence before making decisions. If she was keeping something from him now, Castle had to believe that she had a good reason for it. He had to trust her.

Once she finally sat back in the seat, Kate was pleasantly surprised to find some snacks, bottles of water, and pillows and blankets. Someone had thought of everything.

Castle had tucked Alexis in to the bench seat along the side of the car and she was struggling to keep her eyes open. She seemed to be fighting it, not wanting to take her eyes off them, but it wasn't going to be a fight she would win. Within just a few minutes, the rocking of the car soothed her to sleep. Alexis rolled away from them, snoring quietly into the pillow, her bright red hair streaming out behind her.

"Kate?" Castle started hesitantly. She looked up at him and smiled. "I just...well...I just..." he was unsure of really what he wanted to say to her. He was suddenly so filled with emotion that he didn't know how to get it all out, or whether he even should. He looked down at her hand, still linked with his, and blinked back the sting of tears in his eyes.

"Hey, Castle," Kate pulled their hands to her lips and kissed his fingers. He didn't raise his eyes to meet hers and she wondered why until she saw two perfect tears roll down his cheeks. Silently, Beckett put her fingers lightly under Castle's chin and lifted until his eyes met hers. She smiled at him as she brushed the moisture from his face. "Tell me," she said simply.

Continuing to stare deeply into her eyes and taking strength from her, he started, "Kate, I don't even know where to begin. I want to...there's something I..." Castle huffed out in frustration. Kate noted he looked like a little boy, with his hair flopped down over his forehead, his brow furrowed, his lips forming a stubborn frown. He was rarely at a loss for words, but there were so many things he wanted to say to the incredible woman sitting beside him. And there was so much emotion billowing up in him that he was afraid if he didn't get it out he might just explode. But it was all trying to rush from him at once causing a log jam between his head and his mouth.

Kate sat patiently as Castle tried to corral the jumbled thoughts in his head. He was a writer, a master of words, and she knew he would eventually find his voice. With everything he had been through today, it was no wonder he was having trouble. After all, he wasn't Shakespeare, and today had not been much ado about nothing.

When after a few more moments of silence Castle's eyes fell to the floor, Kate reached over, pulling him gently to her and pressed her lips against his. He stiffened in surprise, but quickly fell into her kiss and returned it. He raised his hands to either side of her face and kissed her hungrily. He couldn't yet form the words he wanted to say, but he could show her at least part of how he was feeling.

Castle relished the contact, the feel of her lips against his, the softness of her hair through his fingers, and the way she almost clung to the back of his neck. He couldn't help but pour everything he was feeling into that moment, into that one passionate kiss. He didn't even, couldn't even, think about whether it all might overwhelm her. He absolutely needed to get as close to her as he could, to feel every part of her, to feel her warm and solid and real in his arms. His hand dropped to her waist and he pulled her closer to him.

At first, Kate gave in to him. She had kissed him in the hopes that it might help him clear his mind of all the words cluttered in his head, to refocus his thoughts. But very quickly she realized that it really only clouded both of their minds, and their judgement, even more. She relaxed into the pleasure and passion of the moment and without even realizing, she let herself get lost in him. She reveled in his touch every bit as much as he did in hers, and when his hand grazed her hip, she felt an electric shock bolt through her in a way she hadn't felt in a long time. Kate too felt a desire to touch every part of him, to release all her pent up energy and emotion, to burn through some of the adrenaline still coursing through her veins. But the intensity building between them was like a fire burning wild. Kate knew she needed to calm the flames before things got out of control.

"Castle..." she whispered, coming up for air. Their chests heaved wildly, yet somehow in sync. "Castle, wait..."

Before she could say anything more, Castle scooped her up onto his lap and hugged her close to his chest. He clung to her tightly, not saying a word, breath coming ragged against her neck. He squeezed so forcefully, melding their bodies together, that Kate was surprised that she wasn't feeling any pain. She just hung on to him as tightly as she could and tried to steady her own breathing.

After a few moments, Kate started to run through the day in her mind. It wasn't long before she too started to cry, tears releasing all of the panic and fear and stress. She clutched onto Castle even tighter as the crying turned to sobbing. Her chest heaved as she struggled to take in air.

Castle could feel the change in her right away. It was as though she was hanging from the cliff again, holding on to him for fear that she would fall into oblivion.

"Hey, Kate..." Castle smoothed her hair and nuzzled into her neck. "Kate, I've got you now. It's going to be okay. We're going to get through this, okay?" He continued kissing her neck, until his lips found her ear. He sucked gently on the lobe, his breath tickling her neck, his quiet deep voice sending chills up and down her spine. He moved his lips along her jaw and her cheek, and finding her tears, he kissed them away. He kissed her lips, her nose, her forehead, her temples, haphazardly moving from one to the next, never lingering for more than a heartbeat, until finally they stilled, cheek to cheek, hands still holding each other firmly.

"Kate," Castle whispered, his voice penetrating to the depths of her soul, "Kate, I think I love you."

Slowly, she pulled away from him and found his eyes. When she didn't say anything, he started to form the words to retract his statement, to take back what couldn't ever be unsaid, but the look on her face stopped him from speaking. If he had a thousand days, Castle wasn't sure he would be able to describe the look on her face. He swallowed thickly as saw what looked like flickers of every possible emotion, all struggling to take over her features.

Disbelief, pain, fear, and confusion, mixed in equal parts, as Kate tried to pinpoint exactly how she felt. She heard the words echoing in her head. _I love you. I love you. I love you._ As she stared at him she wondered, _are those his words or mine?_

Over the last few days Kate had experienced a kaleidoscope of emotions and surprisingly, she hadn't run from the enormity of them. In the past Kate had always allowed herself to keep one foot out the door. She knew in the back of her mind that her relationships wouldn't work anyways so she got her fun from them and when things got too heavy she split.

But since she met Richard Castle, she never even had the chance to try to keep one foot out. Everything they had done over the last few days had brought her step by step closer to him, and she hadn't even realized it was happening. Or maybe she had but she just didn't mind.

She thought back to the trust falls, designed to help the participants learn to trust each other. Kate realized now that part of her problem in previous relationships was that she never really trusted the men she was with. She never trusted them not to leave her. Her go-to defense mechanism was always to make the first move and leave them before they could leave her. Not very productive, not conducive to longevity.

But there was something about Rick, about them, that she realized very early on was different. Something about the way he looked at her made her trust him unconditionally. There was an openness in his manner that set her mind at ease, prevented all her many hang-ups from taking hold and making her run. _What was that? How did he do that? _

It didn't seem to matter which part of the roller coaster of their last three days she was on, he was there, catching her. And she, for a change, was letting him. She wasn't questioning if he would be there. She knew he would be. Over the last three days he had saved her more times than should have been possible in such a short time. But more importantly than the imminent dangers she had faced, he was saving her from something bigger. He was saving her from herself.

And it was as she came to this realization, with the knowledge that he would do everything in his power to keep her from falling, that she understood truly what she was feeling and she knew exactly what she needed to say to him.

Finally she looked up and stared into his eyes. She saw the nervous expression on his face and she felt a small bit of regret for making him wait so long while she considered his words. Slowly, the corners of her mouth crept up ever so slightly. Her eyes softened and a light glistened in them like nothing Castle had ever seen.

"Castle," her smile slowly grew until it was beaming across her face. She placed her hands gently on his cheeks, giggled as she took her bottom lip between her teeth, and pulled him into a kiss. It was one of the sweetest, purest, most honest kisses that Castle could remember ever receiving and he returned it in kind.

Finally pulling away just a fraction, Kate whispered into his ear, "I think I love you too."

Rick snapped back and stared at her in shock. "You do?" he asked solemnly.

Kate laughed lightly. "Yeah," she said, a little surprised at how easy it felt to say it. Her nose crinkled adorably as she continued, "Yeah, I really do."

"Oh, Kate." Castle kissed her again and she could feel his smile against her lips.

When he finally broke away, Castle reached over to grab a pillow and propped it up behind him against the door. Leaning back, he pulled her head to his shoulder so they could stretch out on the wide plush seat of the limo. As they settled in, content in just holding each other, Castle looked over at Alexis, still sound asleep, her face mashed into the back of the seat. He pushed away all of his memories of the day and allowed himself to simply enjoy the peace of this moment. He reveled in the warmth growing between him and Kate. There were still so many things to say, but for now, he was happy to just live in the knowledge that Kate felt the same way he did. For now, that was enough.

* * *

"Mr. Castle?" Rick could hear a voice in the distance, but he couldn't place it. His mind was clouded with the need for more sleep and the heavy weight on his chest. "Mr. Castle? Sir? We're here."

Castle blinked his eyes several times as he struggled to regain consciousness. He looked around, trying to figure out where he was, and just who was talking to him. Everything seemed so foggy.

"What?" he managed to ask, his voice gravelly from slumber.

"Sir, we're here. At your destination."

Slowly Castle's eyes followed the voice until he settled on the limo driver turned to face him from the front seat. The man, whose name could be Roger, or was it Robert, smiled and waited while Castle gained his bearings.

"We're here already? What time is it?" Castle looked around, stalling for time as the cobwebs slowly cleared from his head.

"It's just after midnight sir. Shall I give you a moment? I could take your bags inside while you rouse the ladies?" the driver's softened English accent gave him an air of proper etiquette that seemed fitting for a limo driver.

"Um, yes, sure, that would be great. Thank you." It was the first time all day that Castle had a real grasp of the hour. He couldn't remember ever actually looking at his watch once before now.

Rubbing his face with his free hand, Castle could feel the weight of Kate's sleeping body pressing down on him. It felt good. It felt right. He wished they could just lay there together forever. But the real world was calling, and apparently it needed its car back, so he was going to have to get up.

"Kate?" he gently kissed her forehead and rubbed her back. "Kate, honey, wake up. We're here."

The weight on his chest shifted slightly. "Honey?" she asked groggily, but he could tell she was smiling.

"Yeah, um, just trying it out. What do you think?"

Looking up at him, she crinkled her nose and laughed, shaking her head.

"No, it didn't feel right when I said it either. I'll keep working on it. Anyways, we're here. It's time to get up."

Kate slowly eased herself up on her good arm and looked out the window at a building she didn't recognize. "Where are we?"

"My place. Don't you remember? You're staying here for a few days until you get better. Doctor's orders." He smiled back at her, hoping she wouldn't back out.

"Yes, I remember. I just thought maybe we'd go to my place first so I could pick up a few things."

"Ah, well, we could have, if you'd ever mentioned exactly where you live, and if we hadn't been sleeping. Plus it's after midnight. Do you have enough for the night? Maybe we can take a drive to your place tomorrow."

"After midnight? Huh, yeah I guess we can go to my place tomorrow. We should probably get Alexis up to bed, and I am still feeling pretty tired. It would be nice to just go up and get a good night's sleep." Kate was suddenly curious about Castle's place. She wondered what it would be like, the apartment of a millionaire. Her breath caught in her throat.

_A millionaire_.

Some months she struggled just to pay her rent and now she was in love with a millionaire? A whole new flutter of thoughts rushed through her mind.

_In love with? Holy shit, I'm in love with a millionaire?_

Kate let out a self-conscious laugh as she realized just how drastically her life had changed in just three days.

"What?" Castle asked looking at her curiously.

"What?" Kate looked up at him, not realizing that she had laughed out loud.

"You're laughing. Was it the 'honey'? I told you I'll keep working on it." He smiled back at her wanting to be let in on the joke.

A wave of pink rushed to her cheeks. "I...um...was just thinking...well..." she laughed again at her ridiculousness and now, embarrassment. "Just...it's weird you know?"

"No, what's weird?"

"Well, three days ago, I was just...well, I was just Kate. But now..."

"Now, you're Kate and Rick?" he raised his eyebrows a fraction as he realized what she was getting at.

"Well, yeah, I guess. It's just...when Montgomery gave me this assignment I was pissed. I thought I'd done something wrong. But he insisted it was just a way to give me a break, insisted it would be good for me. I guess I just never saw _this_ coming." Kate looked up at him hoping she didn't sound as foolish as she was feeling.

"I know what you mean, Kate. When I came on this trip, I was just a dad, avoiding the writer's block that had been nagging me for months. I think I just didn't want to write the same characters anymore. I never knew what I'd find either."

"Yeah? What did you find?" Kate chewed nervously on her bottom lip.

"Inspiration."

"I told you Kate..." a quiet groggy voice interrupted them from the other side of the car. Alexis had roused herself and was staring at them.

Kate looked over at the girl and realized that when Alexis had first suggested that her dad might be finding his inspiration in her, she had been shocked at the implication. But now, sitting in the car, his hands resting lightly on her leg, she realized that it didn't scare her so much any more. It was still huge, really, really huge, in fact. But now that she knew how she felt about him too, it wasn't so daunting. And it made sense. He wrote mystery novels, she solved mysteries.

"Told her what?" Castle looked from Kate to Alexis trying to figure out what little inside joke was being passed between them.

"It's nothing Castle." Kate shared a knowing wink with Alexis. "Maybe we should go inside?" Kate didn't want to have that conversation right now, and especially not in front of Alexis. He would want to know everything. He loved the details. She knew she would tell him what she and Alexis had talked about but right now she was too tired and her shoulder was starting to ache and she just wanted to find a soft place to lie down again. She would tell him. Later.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Okay, no preamble, other than to say my school work will all be done by Friday so then I'll have unfettered time for writing...yay!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Castle but I'm happy to own this little world of my own making. Big thanks to AWM, the cast and crew for inspiring it.**

* * *

The elevator dinged as they reached the top floor of Castle's building. Eduardo, the doorman, had already brought their bags up to the loft, and they stepped out to find them sitting outside the door. Kate found she was nervous about coming home with Rick and Alexis, unsure of how the next few days would go. Last to enter, she stepped hesitantly through the door and stopped dead as she took in the spacious, well-appointed loft. It was huge. Twice the size of her place easily. She glanced at the staircase on her left and looked up in awe. Maybe three times.

Rick moved about busily bringing in the bags and flipping through the mail that had accumulated while he'd been away. Alexis went straight for the kitchen, helping herself to a shiny red apple from the bowl on the counter.

"Richard? Is that you? Oh, you're finally home." The woman's voice caught Kate off guard. Across the loft a stunning older woman, vibrantly dressed, walked into the room through a doorway Kate hadn't yet noticed._ Who was that?_

"Gram!" Alexis dropped her apple unceremoniously on the counter and rushed to greet the woman. They twirled together, a swirling of red hair and big smiles.

"Oh my dear sweet Alexis. Darling how are you? Are you okay? Your father called and said you had a fall," the older woman set Alexis down gently and looked her over.

"I'm okay, Gram."

"Well, you look okay. Are you sure?" Alexis nodded vigorously.

"Mother!" Rick rushed over and lifted up his mother, twirling her around playfully and laughing.

"Oh, Richard, put me down! Seriously, I'm not as young as I once was, you know." As Rick set her down, the woman caught sight of Kate, still standing silently in the doorway, nervously watching the scene before her.

_Maybe this wasn't such a good idea._

"Richard...who..." Rick looked up as he followed his mother's line of sight to Kate. A wide smile broke across his face.

"Mother, may I introduce to you Officer Kate Beckett of the NYPD." He guided his mother over to Kate as the two women reached out to shake hands. "Kate, this is my mother, Martha Rodgers."

"Oh, it's so nice to meet you Ms. Rodgers," Kate smiled nervously.

"_Officer _Beckett...Richard, you didn't say we needed protection. Are you still in some kind of danger?" Martha looked nervously between Rick and Kate, wondering what trouble they had truly gotten into. Rick had only given her an abbreviated version of the events on the phone, so she wasn't sure just why an NYPD officer would be at their door.

"What?" Rick asked not understanding his mother's question. "Oh, no, Mother, Kate's not here for our protection, she's...a friend. She's going to be staying with us for a few days."

"Oh, _a friend_. Well in that case, dear, please call me Martha," she waved away the formalities with a dismissive flick of her hand. Martha took in the woman standing before her, intrigued by what sort of _friend_ her son had made over the last three days. And a police officer, this was going to be interesting. Finally, her eyes fell to Kate's arm, still supported by the sling, and noted her somewhat dishevelled appearance. "My dear, what happened to you? You look like you've been thrown off a cliff."

Kate's face dropped as her mind flashed to just hours before when she literally was thrown off a cliff. Castle saw her expression, and once again, raced in to save her.

"Mother, why don't we go into the kitchen and get some drinks," he guided the woman away. Looking back at Kate apologetically he pointed to the living room and said, "Kate, why don't you sit down and relax. I'll be right there."

Kate found a spot on the couch and Alexis promptly plopped down beside her, snuggling into her side. She put her arm around the girl and hugged her. In the kitchen, she could hear Castle and his mother talking quietly. She could only make out a few phrases:

_Rick, "saved Alexis" _

_Martha, "kidnapped?" _

_"Johnson"_

_"a gun?"_

_"ambush"_

_"a tranquilizer gun?"_

_"saved Paige"_

_"a cliff? Oh dear..."_

Clearly Castle was speed-telling their story, rushing his mother through the Cliff's Notes version, no pun intended, to catch her up on their adventure. Finally, Castle set down a glass of iced tea for Kate on the coffee table as he sat down next to her. Martha followed behind, a little paler than she'd been, and addressed Alexis.

"Sweetheart, come, let's get you to bed. You've had a busy day and it's well past your bedtime."

"No, I want to stay with Kate," the little girl hugged her tighter.

Kate helped Alexis to stand up and walked with her over to where Martha was waiting. "I'm going to bed soon too Alexis. Why don't you go with your grandmother and get a good night's sleep? Then we can all have breakfast together in the morning."

"Okay." Alexis took her grandmother's outstretched hand.

Martha looked at Kate genuinely, "Kate, you must be tired. Don't let him keep you up too late. And maybe you can tell me your side of this incredible story tomorrow if you feel up to it. Goodnight you two," She hesitated a moment and then reached over to give Kate a hug and whispered in her ear, "Thank you Kate. Rick told me you saved our Alexis. We will be forever grateful for that."

Startled by the display of affection from this woman she had just met, Kate replied simply, "You're welcome. I'm glad I was there."

Kate stood still, watching Martha and Alexis head up the stairs. Rick stood behind her and put his arms around her protectively. "Hey, how you holding up?" he asked.

Kate leaned back into him, her head resting on the wide expanse of his chest, feeling the beat of his heart. It felt like she was wrapped tight in a warm blanket. "Hey, I'm okay. Tired."

"Well, then, let's get you to bed." Kate turned to look at him, a little unsure of his meaning. "Guest room is upstairs," he added simply, anticipating her question. She smiled in thanks and he took her hand, leading her to the stairs that Martha and Alexis had just traveled moments before.

Picking up her suitcase, they ascended the steps and made their way to the guest room. Castle put her bag down on the bed and showed Kate around the room and en suite bathroom. Not surprisingly, he had everything she needed.

"So, do you need anything else? Um...are you okay to...um...well, do you need help...uh...getting changed?" Castle shifted awkwardly. It wasn't that he didn't want to see her naked, in fact, he'd thought of it more than a few times over the last few days, but even he knew this wasn't the right time for that. But, if she needed it, he would get over his nerves enough to help her.

Kate laughed nervously, "No, I think I'll be okay. But thanks for the offer. Besides, we haven't even gone on a date yet, Castle. You're going to have to at least buy me dinner first before I let you take my clothes off." She looked away self-consciously, surprised at her brazen flirtation.

Castle moved in seductively grabbing her waist and pulling her towards him. "So, you're saying if I buy you dinner, I can help you take your clothes off?" He leaned down to kiss her but she backed away before their lips met.

"At least, Castle, I said you _at least_ have to buy me dinner. Plus, I don't usually put out on the first date."

"Ah, second date kind of girl are you?" Castle asked playfully, swooping down and kissing her quickly before she could back away.

"Let's just take it one step at a time, shall we?" She laughed and returned his kiss.

"You know," Castle said, "we've had dinner a couple of times together now, maybe we could count this week as our first date?"

"Hmm, trying to get out of taking me out on the town, Castle?"

"Oh, no, definitely not. It's just, well, you're injured and I thought maybe it might be a while before you're actually up to going on a real date. And well," his hand moved slowly underneath her shirt around her waist, testing to see how far she'd let him go. "I just thought, well, I wouldn't want your two-date rule to prevent you from doing anything...else...that you might want to do before we have a chance to go out...officially." Castle's voice trailed off as he leaned down and kissed her neck. Kate arched into him and her breath caught as the trail of kisses he was leaving sent shivers up and down her spine.

"Mmmm...well, I see what you're saying..."

"Just...trying to make sure you don't...sacrifice your values...for me..."

Castle nipped at her ear lobe causing Kate to whimper in surprise. "I think...maybe...tomorrow...I could...we could...get a burger...or something..."

"Yeah?" Castle stopped and looked up at her. "We could go to Remy's. They have great burgers there."

Kate laughed at his about-face at the mention of food, though she suspected it might be as much about the thought of what might happen after their second date. "Sure, Castle. I love Remy's. Best fries in town."

"Great. Okay, so tomorrow night then? A real date?"

Kate nodded. "Sounds good. But now, if it's okay with you, I really do need to get some sleep."

"Yes, of course. I'm pretty tired too. If you need anything..._anything..." _he said suggestively, "my room's downstairs."

"Thanks, Castle. For everything."

"Always." Castle leaned in and gave her one last searing kiss before walking towards the door. Just before he left, he turned and smiled. "Sweet dreams Kate."

* * *

Light was just beginning to filter through the curtains when Kate's eyes slowly opened. The first thing her eyes focused on was a mop of flaming red hair, feathered on the pillow next to her. She blinked several times trying to remember why Alexis was now lying in her bed, nestled up close.

She could vaguely remember a middle of the night plea from the little girl to crawl in with her. Something about a bad dream. Had she fallen out of her bed? Poor thing, she must have been scared. Kate found it interesting that Alexis had come into her room instead of going to see her father, but then, maybe it didn't seem that strange considering she had been the one to save Alexis.

As she looked around the room, Kate was further surprised to see Castle passed out in the lounge chair beside the bed. Now that was something she didn't remember happening. When did he come into her room? And why? And why was he now sleeping in the chair?

Before she could whisper to him, Castle bolted upright with a start. He looked over at Kate and Alexis, and finding Kate's concerned eyes staring back at him, he grinned sheepishly.

"Good morning," he said.

"Morning," she replied, her voice still rough from sleep.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"I did, though I don't think Alexis had such a good night." Kate looked down at the little girl, still passed out soundly next to her.

"I know. I went to check on her in the middle of the night but she wasn't in her bed. I came to ask you if you knew where she was, and I found the two of you cuddled together. Did she have a bad dream?"

"Yes," Kate said remembering the conversation. "She said she fell out of bed. Asked if she could sleep with me because she knew if she started to fall again I would catch her."

Castle's face softened as he looked at his little girl compassionately. "Poor kid. Thanks for taking her in. You could have sent her down to me."

"No, it's okay. I kind of liked having her here. It made me feel a little better knowing she was okay."

"I know what you mean. Once I saw she was here, well, I just couldn't bring myself to go back downstairs. I guess I just wanted to be close in case she needed anything. I hope you don't mind."

"No, of course not. I'm just sorry you had to sleep in a chair."

"Well, I thought it would be a bit presumptuous of me to just climb into bed with you. I mean, we haven't had our date yet, and well, I'm not the kind of guy who puts out before the second date anyways." He winked at her jokingly.

Kate laughed as she sat up stiffly. "You know what? It's still early, why don't you come and snuggle here with Alexis for a bit." When Castle raised his eyebrows in question, she replied, "I'm going to have a bath and try to work out some of these kinks and knots."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, no sense moving Alexis and waking her. And you look like you could use a couple more hours of sleep."

"Well, this chair was pretty comfortable, but I probably could sleep another hour or so. But wake me up when you're done and we can make some breakfast."

"Okay." Kate climbed stiffly out of bed making room for Castle to slide in next to Alexis. The minute he put his head down he breathed in deeply, calmed by the scent she left on her pillow. As he put an arm protectively over his daughter, he felt Kate lean down and place a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Sweet dreams." Castle smiled and drifted peacefully back to sleep.

* * *

As Kate stepped reluctantly out of the over-sized tub, she stretched to try to work out some of the more stubborn knots in her body. The bath had been so relaxing, so luxurious, and much nicer than the small shower stall in her place. She had added a small amount of bubble bath to the water and relaxed fully into the fragrant vanilla spice wafting up with the steam of the hot water.

Now, she stood in front of the mirror, wrapped in an over-sized fluffy towel examining the evidence of the previous day's adventures. Bruises were starting to show on various parts of her body, in places she hadn't even realized had been bumped. As she turned, she found the couple of wounds on her back were now an angry red color. She had managed to remove the gauze pads covering them before getting in the tub, but was now unsure of how she would redress them. She reached around in an attempt to rub some antibiotic cream along the cuts but just couldn't reach them.

"Dammit," she cursed under her breath.

"Kate?" Rick's voice came muffled through the door. "Are you okay?"

"Um...yeah, I'm okay...I just...dammit." She tried again unsuccessfully.

"Kate, I'm coming in, okay?" The bathroom door eased open a crack and Rick poked his head through, his eyes downcast to avoid seeing anything she didn't want him to see. "Are you okay? Really?"

Kate breathed out in frustration, glaring at herself angrily in the mirror. She _hated _asking for help. "No," she finally relented, her shoulders sagging. "I need some help."

"Can I...?"

"It's okay, you can come in. I'm, well, mostly decent." Kate pulled the towel just a little bit tighter around her body.

Rick moved into the room, but stopped dead at the sight before him. Kate stood facing away from him, her long wavy hair dripping wet down her back. The two ends of her towel were pulled up against the front of her body, but hung looser around her waist behind her. He could see the muscles in her shoulders and upper back, toned from working out at the precinct gym. He swallowed thickly as his eyes trailed down along the curve of her waist to the swell of her hips that disappeared beneath the dark brown towel. Kate's olive skin was darkened from sun and glowed in the warm light of the bathroom.

_Oh my god, she's spectacular._

"Castle?"

Rick looked up to see her staring at his reflection in the mirror. He closed his mouth, which had apparently fallen open at the sight of her, and tried to regain his composure. "I...um..."

"Castle," Beckett had intended to reprimand him, but instead her voice caught in her throat and came out all breathy and seductive.

He moved a step closer and put his hands on her waist, still staring at her in the mirror. "Have I told you how beautiful you are?"

Kate looked down slightly embarrassed by the complement and the passion he was exuding.

"I'm a mess." She said simply.

"No, you're stunning." Castle leaned down and softly kissed her neck, his hands grazing her waist and resting warmly on her abdomen. Responding to his touch, and wanting more, Kate turned in his arms and reached up to kiss him. Keeping one hand securely on her towel, she grasped the back of his head, pulling him closer.

Castle got lost in her. The taste of her lips and tongue, mixed with the heady scent of vanilla spice coming off her skin, were like an elixir, a veritable love potion. He found himself pressing harder into her, wanting to feel all of her, wanting to take her right then and there. Second date be damned.

As his hands moved along the soft, still damp skin of her exposed back, she suddenly arched forward into him and broke their kiss, a groan and sharp intake of breath signalling sudden pain.

"Owww..."

"Kate? Kate, what's wrong, what is it?" Castle looked at her in concern.

"My back, it..." her voice trailed off as she rested her head on his chest, the stinging slowly subsiding. Castle looked around to her reflection in the mirror. Her towel had fallen loosely around her waist, and he caught sight for the first time of the cuts and bruises that were covering her body.

"Kate, oh my god!" _How did I not see that before?_ Castle admonished himself for letting his emotions take over so completely that he hadn't even noticed the scars and discolored marks all over her body.

"No, Castle, it's okay."

"Okay? How can you say that? Look at you." Castle turned her around to inspect the damage more closely.

"No, really, it's not that bad. It's just, I think your hand rubbed against one of the cuts."

"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Castle, I'm fine. Really. I just, maybe you could just help me bandage them up?"

"Of course. Kate, I'm really so sorry."

Kate turned around sharply and took his face in her free hand. "Castle, I'm fine. It's okay." She reached up and kissed him, though he was hesitant to return it, his mind still on the evidence left from their encounter with Johnson. When she finally broke away, he reached up to gently run his finger tips down her cheek and settled them just beneath her chin.

"You're sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Yes. I'm fine."

Castle nodded and smiled lightly, though it didn't quite get to his eyes. He reached around and picked up the antibiotic cream and she turned and allowed the towel to fall down even further. He pushed her still dripping hair around to one side and ran his hand gently down her spine. As he rubbed the ointment into the first cut, he saw her wince from the sting of the cold cream on her raw skin.

"Sorry, sorry," he whispered apologetically. Kate just gritted her teeth and tried to breath. It felt like he was pouring lemon juice on the cuts.

When he had finally finished, Kate secured the towel more firmly around her body. Castle gently slid his hands across the top of her shoulders and kissed the back of her head. After a moment, he smiled at her in the mirror and placed his hands lightly on her waist.

Kate leaned into him, pressing her newly bandaged back against his chest and resting her head against his shoulder. She pulled his hands from her hips and wrapped them around her body. The combination of the steam still warming the air and his strong arms enveloping her helped her to relax as the pains in her body subsided.

"Better?" he asked her.

She smiled back at him and nodded. "Much. Thank you."

He laughed lightly, "Maybe I missed my calling and should have gone into medicine."

"You think so?"

"Well, I think I have a pretty good bedside manner." He turned her again in his arms and kissed her deeply, being careful not to touch her injured back.

Kate finally broke away and looked at him teasingly. "You treat all your patients like that Nurse Castle?"

"Mmmm, only the really beautiful ones," he said in between kisses as his hands trailed lower and lower on her body.

Just as they reached the swell of her hips and threatened to move lower, Kate pulled her lips away from his. "Castle, Alexis is in the next room. Maybe we should..."

Rick stopped the progress of his hands and put his forehead against hers. "You want me to lock the door?" he asked her with a deadpanned expression on his face. Though she could tell he was joking.

"Castle!" She slapped him lightly and laughed.

"No, you're right. Plus, I'm saving myself anyways."

"You are?" she asked incredulously. "For what?"

"For our date tonight. Don't tell me you've forgotten already."

"No, Castle, I haven't forgotten."

"Are you still feeling up to it? If you're not, I'd understand. We could get take out if you'd rather." Castle looked at her with a little disappointment in his eyes, hoping she wouldn't back out. He was really looking forward to it.

"No, I'm fine. I want to go. It would be nice to have some time just the two of us."

"You mean without having to chase someone through the woods?"

Kate looked down, suddenly reminded yet again of the events of the previous day.

"What, too soon?" Castle asked. "Sorry, coping mechanism."

"No, it's okay Castle. Just, it's going to take a while to get past this."

"Yeah, sorry. I guess I'm not really sure how to deal with all this. I wish none of this had happened."

"I know. But it did. We have to accept that we can't change what we went through. We can only try to move forward."

"How do we do that?"

Kate wrapped her arms around Castle's waist and snuggled her head on his chest. As she sighed into his neck, her warm breath made goose bumps appear on his flesh. "I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask."

"Why?"

She hesitated. _Were they really doing this now?_ She had shared a lot of her past with him already, but she hadn't told him everything, hadn't let him see how truly broken she was. "Because in the past, I've had to fight to keep my emotions in check. I've pushed them down, hidden them, insisted to everyone around me that I was fine."

"How did that work out?"

Kate let out a hollow laugh, "Not so well."

"You know, I think we're not so different. I usually channel my emotions into my writing. I'll write non-stop for days, barely eating or sleeping, just to avoid dealing with whatever it is. A lot of times it never even ends up making it into my books because it's really just a roadmap of what I was feeling, but rarely relates to the characters I wrote it for. I'll admit it probably isn't the best way to get it out. Alexis usually has to force me to eat when I get like that."

"Yeah, that sounds about right. I go days where I never leave the precinct. I'll stare at the murder board for hours and hours just thinking about the case so I don't have to think about whatever is weighing me down. I use the job to avoid dealing with things. Sometimes I'll sleep for an hour or two in the breakroom, and I basically live on coffee and food from the vending machine, when I remember to eat."

Castle thought for a moment, let the silence fill the room. "Want to try something different?" he finally asked.

Kate pulled back from his chest and looked up into his eyes, unsure of what he was getting at. "What do you mean?"

"Well, in the past we've both essentially bottled everything up and burned ourselves to the ground to avoid feeling whatever it is. But Kate, things are different now. We have each other now. Maybe we should try to do the opposite."

Kate looked at him questioningly, so he continued. "Maybe we should make a pact that whatever we're feeling, we should share it with each other, not hide anything. I've never experienced anything like this Kate and I don't know what to do, I don't know how to deal with it. But we both went through it together, so maybe we should keep working through it together. Help each other so we don't get lost in it. Does that make sense?"

Kate hesitated and returned her head back to his chest. He was right, it was the exact opposite of what she always did. And as she thought about it, she realized that what he was proposing scared the hell out of her and she didn't know if she could do it. Panic started to inch its way up from the pit of her stomach as she frantically tried to think of what to say. "Castle, I..." she started but then she faltered.

"Kate, I know this is scary," he pressed on, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "I'm scared too. But I need to be able to figure out how to get through this so I can help get Alexis through it. And I haven't got the slightest idea how. Usually when I'm dealing with things, I barricade myself into my office for days, but I don't want to do that this time. I can't do that this time. I've got to be there for her. But it's not just her. We're all going to need help dealing with everything, and I want to be there for you too, for whatever you need. And I hope you want to be there for me..." Castle paused, hoping she would speak up. She leaned back and looked at him, trying to take solace in his deep blue eyes.

"I do, I just..." Kate let her eyes drop to the floor. She felt the weight of this challenge pull her down. She wanted to do this, wanted to change. She knew she would be able to be there for him, but allowing him to be there for her? Hell, she didn't even want to ask him to help bandage her cuts. How was she going to let go and share all of her emotions with him.

And for Kate, this was more than just one day of adventures. She wanted to talk to him about everything she had been working through, not just this week, but these last three years since her mother died. Was killed. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted him to be able to make it okay. But there was a very big part of her that knew there wasn't anything he could do to make it better.

Castle pulled her back in towards him and tilted her head up until he found her eyes. "Kate?"

She pulled away and leaned back against the counter trying to distance herself from him. She didn't want to disappoint him but she just didn't know how to do what he was asking. But he refused to let her break away from him completely. He took her hand gently in his.

"Kate," he whispered one last attempt. "I know this is going to be hard. For me too. But can't we just try?"

The simplicity of his plea seemed to strike home with her. She could try right? If it didn't work, well, then was she really any worse off? She could always go back to her old ways, bottle things up, hide from her feelings. She would be stuck, but she'd lived like that for three years now. She was used to it.

But if she tried, if they really tried, well...

Kate knew Castle wouldn't be able to make her past better, wouldn't be able to truly take that hurt away, but maybe he could help give her the future she'd always wanted. The future her mom would have wanted for her. Maybe...

Finally, Kate found strength from somewhere deep within her, or maybe it came from him, from the way Castle was looking at her with love and hope and just a little bit of pleading.

Kate looked up resolutely. "Okay Castle. Let's try."


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Ever had one of those writing moments when you thought you were going to be able to wrap things up, then 4500 words later you realized you were going to have to write one more chapter? Well, here's mine :) Second to last chapter, and the next should come fairly quickly. I'm leaving for vacation in 3 days and want to have it all wrapped up by then...we'll see if I can manage it! Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing, and to all my peeps on Twitter for the constant inspiration, encouragement, and especially for the laughs. To SuperMandy77 and to Ms_TGR, as always, thanks for the editing, the ideas and the friendship! Especially to Thais for the help with the Buffy reference :)**

**Disclaimer: I'm leaving for LA on Saturday. If all goes as planned, AWM will hire me as a writer and in fact Castle will finally be mine for reals. hehehe...a girl can dream!**

* * *

When Kate finally made her way downstairs after getting dressed and blow drying her hair, Castle and Alexis were already hard at work in the kitchen. Martha was putting the finishing touches on the table setting. Kate watched silently from the landing of the stairs, rooted to the spot. All of a sudden she was nervous.

The feeling had been building in her since Castle had left her in the bathroom earlier, but now it was rising to the surface and she couldn't push it back down. Although she had agreed to Castle's plan, she truly wasn't sure how exactly to do what he was asking. How does one go about acting against their instincts? Kate felt the crease in her brow deepening as she considered what she should do. She felt completely off-kilter. But maybe that was the point. Maybe that's exactly what she needed to do to finally move forward in her life.

The sound of a ringing phone brought Kate suddenly out of her musings.

Rick picked the handset up off the cradle in the living room and walked towards his office. He still hadn't noticed Kate standing there, but Alexis looked up and caught Kate's attention.

"Kate!" the little girl ran over to her and threw her arms around her waist. Kate returned the little girl's affections. "Kate, Dad and I are making pancakes for you!"

Kate smiled down at Alexis, revived from her deep thoughts by the burst of sunshine before her. "Alexis, pancakes are my favorite! How did you know? Did someone tell you?"

"No, but they're our favorite too. We even put chocolate chips in them." The girl smiled proudly.

Martha looked up and caught her eye, smiling warmly.

"Kate, my darling, how are you this morning?" Taking note of Kate's improved appearance from the night before she continued, "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did, thank you, Martha. And thank you for letting me stay here for a few days. I hope I won't get in your way." Kate was still a little bit self-conscious about staying with the Castle's. If it was just him it would be one thing, but moving in with his entire family after just knowing Rick and Alexis for three days was more than overwhelming.

"Oh, dear, don't be silly. Of course you can stay. We owe you a great deal so it's the least that we can do." Martha's genuine sincerity helped to set Kate's mind at ease, at least somewhat.

Rick walked back into the room and gently replaced the phone. Kate crossed to him, a worried look on her face matching his own.

"Castle? What's wrong?"

He swallowed thickly and looked down at her, forcing a smile to his face. "Nothing," he said.

But Kate was far from convinced. "Castle..." her tone made it clear that she knew he was holding back from her.

"I, um..." He looked past her at Alexis. She and Martha were pouring the last of the pancake batter into the hot frying pan.

Kate swiveled around to take in the sight and then back to him. "Castle, what aren't you telling me? Who was on the phone?" She asked quietly but with more than a little urgency in her tone.

Rick looked back down at her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Can we talk about it later?"

"Rick, you were the one who said we needed to do this together. That we shouldn't be holding back from each other. But that's exactly what you're doing. Why did you suggest it if you didn't actually want to try?" Kate's frustration with Castle was growing.

"Mother? Alexis? We'll be right there okay? You two get started with your breakfast before it gets cold." Rick called across the room to the two redheads in the kitchen. When Alexis looked up at him disappointed, he followed up with, "Don't worry, we'll be right there. I just have to talk to Kate for a minute okay?" Alexis nodded sullenly and Rick guided Kate into his office.

When he closed the door behind her, he leaned back against it and closed his eyes.

"Rick, please tell me what's happening."

Castle pursed his lips together as he looked down at her. Taking a deep breath before starting, he said, "Kate, I don't want you to think I'm not trying. I want to try, I really do. But this is...well, I don't know how to say it."

"Okay, you're scaring me. You need to just say whatever it is. Just say it. Quick and dirty."

Castle's smirked at the phrasing she had used, a devilish smile rising to his face. "Quick and dirty?" he wiggled his eyebrows and winked at her.

"Castle, focus okay? It was a ...poor choice of words."

"Oh, actually I liked the words."

"Castle! Please."

"Right, sorry. Not the time. I'll save it for later." Castle walked further into the room towards the window and stared out over the city, his somber mood returning.

Kate came up behind him and put her arms around his waist, moulding herself against his back. "Please tell me," she whispered.

After a few minutes he started, "The phone...it was Detective Montgomery."

Kate pulled her head away from Castle's strong back and her grip loosened around his waist. "What? Why did he talk to you? Why didn't you let me talk to him?"

Castle turned around taking Kate in his arms, making sure she couldn't break her hold of him. "He's on his way over." Castle leaned down to kiss her cheek softly.

"Oh. Why didn't he just talk to me on the phone?"

"He's got some news about the case and he said he needs to ask you some questions. He was just asking me if I thought you would be up to it." Kate pulled back from him further, but Castle still wouldn't let her go. Her eyes moved back and forth as she thought of a million things she wanted to say. She was frankly pissed that Montgomery felt he needed Castle to gauge her ability to talk, like he was her keeper or something.

"Why didn't he ask me himself?"

"He wanted to Kate, but I didn't realize you had come down. I told him you were still upstairs, so he told me that he would just come by instead. He said it would probably be better to talk to you face to face anyways."

"Oh," Kate settled a bit at Castle's explanation, realizing it made sense. But there was something more that he wasn't telling her. "So what else did he say?"

"Kate, can we just talk about it when he gets here? Let's just have breakfast with Alexis and then Montgomery can tell you everything." Castle started walking towards the door, trying to usher Kate out with him.

"No," Kate replied adamantly. Castle stopped and turned to face her.

"No?" He asked her, his confusion evident.

"No, Castle. You said that we need to share everything. We need to work through this together. That means you can't hide things from me if you think I won't be able to handle it, or if you aren't sure how to say it, or if you think it would come better from someone else. If I'm going to try, then you have to too. So tell me. And we'll deal with it together."

Castle was surprised by the vehemence that Kate was speaking with. On one hand he was pleased that she was taking his challenge so seriously, that she really wanted to try to work through everything together. But at the same time he was also surprised by it. He thought it would be a fight to get her to open up to him, but then again, he reminded himself, she really didn't do anything halfway, and he'd never seen her back down from a challenge. She had agreed to his plan and now, rightly so, she was holding him to it too.

Castle hadn't really realized how hard it might be for him to follow the plan as well. He took a deep breath and looked seriously at her. "Kate, Montgomery talked to Jones."

"Okay, good." Kate shook her head, not understanding his hesitance.

"No, Kate, it's not good."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Kate," Castle took a deep steadying breath, then plowed forward, "they can't find Johnson."

Kate reeled back from him putting her hands up in front of her, keeping him from moving with her when he tried to step in and comfort her. "What? What do you mean they can't find Johnson?"

"I don't know Kate. That's all Montgomery would tell me."

Just then there was a soft knock at the office door. "Richard? Kate?" Martha's voice came softly through the barrier.

Castle rolled his eyes at the poor timing of the interruption, but he opened the door.

"Richard, I'm sorry to interrupt, but we have one sad little girl playing with the food on her plate out here. She's insisting that she won't start until you two join her. Said it's rude to eat without the guest of honor." Martha looked apologetically from Rick to Kate.

"No, Mother, it's alright. We'll be right out." Rick turned to face Kate. "I'm sorry, but, well, this is parenthood. Do you want me to tell Alexis you're not feeling well? I'm sure she'll understand."

Kate looked past him at the sight of Alexis at the table alone, chin tucked to her chest, her hands folded gently on her lap. "When she's waiting for the guest of honor? No," she resolved. "Let's go eat. We shouldn't keep Alexis waiting any longer. But she doesn't need to know about this. We'll just have to deal with it when Montgomery gets here."

As she started to walk out of the office, Kate paused and placed her hand lightly on Castle's chest. Looking deep into his eyes, she smiled. "Rick, thank you for telling me. Thank you for trying."

Rick took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, smiling back. They both took a deep breath, put happy smiles on their faces and joined Alexis and Martha for breakfast.

* * *

The knock on the front door caused Kate and Rick to stop and stare at each other, the last bites of chocolate chip pancakes hovering in front of their open mouths, the last traces of maple syrup dripping slowly to their plates. Rick moved first, quickly shoveling the last forkful into his mouth, then walking to the door.

Kate placed her fork, still full, back down on her plate. She looked hesitantly from Martha to Alexis who seemed to have noticed the change in mood that the knock had brought with it.

"Kate...?" Alexis whispered quietly, dread dripping from her tone.

Kate tried her best to put on a happy face, "It's okay, Alexis, it's just my boss. He's coming to check in on me. Would you like to meet him?" Kate felt like she needed to spare the little girl as much of the worry that she and Castle were dealing with as she could. She had been through enough already, and mature as she was, Kate didn't want her to do anything but work on getting past it.

Eyes instantly wide and bright, the little girl threw down her fork and jumped up from the table, exclaiming an exuberant "yes!" before running over to join her father at the door.

"Ooof!" Castle sounded as the little redhead bounded into him and grabbed hold of his waist. Righting himself, Castle made the introductions. "Detective Montgomery, this is my daughter Alexis, and my mother, Martha Rodgers."

"Ms. Rodgers, a pleasure to meet you. And Alexis, I heard about your fall yesterday. I hope you're feeling better." Montgomery smiled warmly at the girl, lowering himself to be at eye level.

Watching the detective, Kate marveled at the child's ability to develop meaningful relationships with others almost instantly upon meeting them. There was something about Alexis that just made people want to connect with her. People who had never been good at dealing with children before, people like Kate, just suddenly were.

"Oh, yes, I'm fine thank you. Kate saved me."

Montgomery looked up to see Kate finally joining them. He smiled proudly at her but spoke to Alexis. "Yes, Officer Beckett told me about it."

"Detective Montgomery?" Alexis spoke, suddenly shy. When his eyebrows rose, she continued. "I just wanted to say thank you for letting Kate come on our camping trip with us. We learned a lot from her. She's a really good police officer. And she saved my friend." The simplicity of Alexis' heartfelt thanks melted the hearts of every adult in the room. Kate especially was touched by the little girl who was so quickly becoming a part of her heart. Castle looked over at Kate and smiled appreciatively, suggesting he echoed his little girl's thanks.

"I'm glad I sent her too Alexis. And you know what? I agree, she is a really good police officer. In fact, she's one of the best we have. That's why I sent her." Montgomery winked and the two shared a smile of agreement. "Alexis, if it's okay, could I talk to Officer Beckett and your dad for a few minutes?"

"Sure," Alexis smiled brightly and took Martha's hand. "Come on Gram, these dishes aren't going to do themselves you know." Montgomery laughed as he looked at Castle.

"That's a very bright little girl you have there, Mr. Castle."

"Yeah, sometimes I forget she's only nine." He smiled proudly. "But please, call me Rick. And let's go into my office. We can talk privately there."

* * *

As soon as the door to the office was closed, Kate spoke up. She couldn't contain herself one moment longer. "Sir, they didn't find Johnson?" Montgomery looked over at Castle who just shrugged. But Montgomery knew more than anyone how hard it was to hold things back from his officer. She had a way of getting information from people, sometimes without them even realizing they were sharing it. And Montgomery could tell from the way he'd seen Castle looking at her that he was likely already wrapped around her little finger. He smiled at the thought. _Good. She needs this in her life._

He turned back to his protégé and sighed heavily. "No, Beckett, they didn't. There's no sign of him."

Kate took a turn to pause now as the reality of Montgomery's words settled in. It was one thing to have Castle tell her what he heard, but another altogether to hear them from Montgomery. The meaning of the words settled like a rock in the pit of her stomach.

She felt, rather than heard, Castle come up behind her, placing his hand softly on her back. She looked up at him and could tell by the look on his face that the same thoughts were going through his mind as well. He smiled supportively at her, but it was hollow. Neither one of them was happy at the news.

"Sir? I don't..." she didn't know how to finish.

"Look Beckett, they're still looking for him, but right now we really can't rule anything out. Are you sure he was unconscious when he fell?"

Walking towards the window and looking out on the city, Kate thought back to the moment when Johnson had finally released his grip on her leg. She had, just a breath before, felt her own hand slipping from the branch she was holding. She was, in that moment, resigning herself to the reality that they were both going to fall into the water below.

When he fell, the change in her weight had affected her grip on the branch and she'd had to look up to make sure she was still holding on. Even with Castle hanging on to her too, she was still afraid she would fall. By the time she had looked down at Johnson again, he was almost to the water. His eyes were closed but thinking back on it now, Kate knew that didn't necessarily mean he was actually unconscious. She had taken it for granted that he must have been, otherwise, why would he let go?

Kate looked at Castle with worry. Could she have been wrong?

"Sir, I...well, it happened really fast and..." her voice trailed off as she replayed the memories over and over again in her mind, second-guessing everything she thought she saw. She suddenly realized why witnesses at crime scenes were so unreliable. Even as a trained professional she was having a hard time deciding exactly what she had seen.

"Beckett, I need you to tell me everything, as much as you can. Any little thing could help."

Kate spent the next few minutes relaying everything as she remembered it. She pushed herself to see it all again in fine detail, leaving nothing out. Then Castle shared his version of the events as a counterpoint for Montgomery to work from. Both expressed their regret at not having more information to give him.

After they were done and Montgomery had written it all down in his notebook, he looked back at the two of them with sincerity. "Listen, you two, you've been through a lot in the last couple days. I don't want you thinking that you didn't do everything you could to get this dirtbag. I think there's more to this guy than we know yet, but we're going to keep doing everything we can to track him down."

Something in the way Montgomery phrased his last sentence made Beckett look up in surprise. She heard a finality to his tone, an exclusion, like she wasn't going to still be part of the case. When Montgomery continued, she realized her suspicions were true. "I'll keep you informed if we get any breaks."

A wave of anger rose up in her that inexperience and youth prevented her from silencing.

"You'll keep us informed? Sir, I'll be back at the precinct tomorrow. I want to keep working on this case." Castle and Montgomery both looked at her in surprise, though the detective had suspected she might react this way.

"Sorry, Beckett, you're on the bench. You need time to heal your injuries. Take a week, relax, see a doc about that shoulder. There'll be lots of police work for you to do when you get back."

"Sir, I don't need another vacation. _I'm fine_. What I _need_ is to get this guy." Castle placed a hand on her shoulder, an attempt to get her to see reason. When she shrugged it off and winced, Montgomery gave her a knowing _'I told you so'_ look.

"You're on leave. One week."

"But sir..."

Montgomery cut her off. "Captain's orders, Beckett." He shrugged lightly, wanting to ease the tension in the room, but knowing there was nothing he could do.

Castle looked at the two, feeling more than a little left out of the conversation. As a private citizen, no matter what his role _had_ been in the case, his involvement in any active capacity was now over. He racked his brain looking for a reason, _any reason_, that he could be kept in the loop, maybe even help out. His think-outside-the-box brain reminded him of a deal he'd made with Beckett earlier that week.

"Detective Montgomery?" Castle interjected into the silence that had filled the room. "Think I could help out?"

"What?" Montgomery looked over at him in surprise, wondering how this writer could possibly help a real police investigation.

Kate's eyes narrowed as she conjured an image of the stereotypical boy's club, letting Castle be a part of the case, while she was relegated to sitting at home nursing herself back to health. She was more than a little resentful at his attempt to still be a part of the investigation, when she could not.

Castle caught sight of Beckett's reaction to his request but he squared his shoulders to Montgomery and pressed on, turning on his Castle charm. "Sure. I mean, I was there, so I have first hand knowledge that could help with the investigation. Plus, I solve mysteries for a living, so, and I'm not in any way saying I could be a cop, but I do have some experience in the area. And, well, maybe I could get a story idea out of it all."

"Write a book about the Twelfth?" Montgomery asked, trying to see the idea from all angles, still not so sure it was a good idea.

"Well, sure. I mean, you've got the best officers and detectives there right? At least that's what I've observed. And it would be a great setting for my next novel."

"Hmmm..." Montgomery thought about the idea.

"Sir, you're not actually considering this, are you?" Beckett asked in surprise. Castle looked at her with an expression that suggested he had a plan, but Kate couldn't even begin to figure out what his angle was.

"Well, it could give us some good press for a change..." Montgomery trailed off when he saw the look Beckett was giving him.

Seeing that he was breaking him, Castle made his final move; he hoped it was his check mate. "You know, I am friends with the Mayor. I could tell him what a great help you've all been to me and my daughter." Castle knew he was laying it on a little thick, but he suspected Montgomery could see the value in his offer. At least he hoped he could.

"The mayor, huh?" Montgomery looked from Castle, who seemed to be just a little too high on his connections, to Beckett, who looked exasperated by the whole conversation, back to Castle. Making a decision, he finally answered, "Well, I'm going to have to clear it with my captain, but I think I could probably get you in...for a couple of days at least...you were there after all."

Castle smiled victoriously at the detective's response, but faltered a bit when he looked at Beckett who was more angry than he'd ever seen her. This was going to take some smoothing over, but he was sure when he shared his logic with her, she would be happy about this turn of events. Or, at least, maybe not quite so pissed off.

"Great, well then, I guess I'll drop by tomorrow?" Castle asked.

"Sure. I've got to get back to the precinct now, but I'll clear it with the captain when I get there."

As Montgomery turned to leave, he paused and looked at Beckett who had returned her gaze out the window. "Kate, you did really good work out there. I'm not going to cut you out of the investigation. If we're still working it when you get back, you'll be back on my team."

She turned from the window and smiled, though it was clear she wasn't very happy about her status. "Thank you sir. I appreciate that."

Castle walked Montgomery out while Kate stayed in the office thinking about what had just happened. When Castle returned, he barely had time to step into the room and close the door when she barrelled down on him with an angry fire in her eyes. "Just what the hell was that?" she accused.

Castle stopped in his tracks, partly due to her tone, and partly because she came up on him so fast he really had nowhere else to go.

"Hey!" he said, more than a little upset by her tone. "Why don't you let me explain before you tear my head off? I did this for you, you know."

"For me?" she scoffed at his seemingly ludicrous response. "How the hell is _you_ getting to work on the investigation, while _I'm_ left out in the cold, possibly to my benefit?"

"Because now I can find out everything they've learned and when I come home, we can work on it together." Castle's volume was rising to match hers, though his tone was much less acrid.

Kate's mouth dropped open slightly as the words finally registered in her brain. _He actually did do this for me. Shit._

"Oh." Kate looked down, embarrassed by her outburst. It was definitely not what she had expected he would say. She thought he would bumble around looking for a way to spin his win into something good for her, when really he was only thinking about himself, his career. But that wasn't it at all. Well, maybe he would get the added bonus of getting to see a police department in action. But if he was telling her the truth, and by the look in his eyes, she knew he was, then this was all so that she wouldn't be completely in the dark about what was happening in her case, even though she was being forced to take time off.

"Yeah, _oh_," he replied, justifiably a little pissed with her.

"Shit. I'm sorry Castle. I just thought..."

"You just thought that I was only thinking about myself, right?"

Kate nodded, ashamed.

She was surprised when he moved in closer to her and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. He smiled down at her, his blue eyes connecting deeply with hers. "It's okay. Don't worry about it. We're still figuring this out, right?" He leaned in and kissed her lightly, a kiss of forgiveness. "Anyways, I might have remembered that you promised to let me ride along with you sometime. This way, you can 'ride along' with me first. I can fill you in on all the details of the case and you can give me ideas that I can take back to the precinct the next day. We'll come up with some brilliant theory that they hadn't thought of, you'll get a promotion to detective, and then I'll get to ride along with you all the time."

Kate smiled at the almost sing-song enthusiasm that was building in him. "All the time, huh?" Castle nodded vigorously. "I'm not so sure I want you following me around _all the time_."

"Oh, come on Kate, it'll be fun! I'll be like your plucky sidekick. Alex West to your Lara Croft...hmmm, maybe not the best example, he did double-cross her. Um...I know! Steve Trevor to your Wonderwoman."

"Angel to my Buffy?" Kate asked trying to get in on the joke.

"Oooo you would make a kick ass Buffy!"

"You know, if I remember right, Angel was really more of a distraction in the end than a help, leaving Buffy to do all the work as always. You know what Castle? I think that comparison is actually pretty fitting."

"Ha ha ha." Castle laughed sarcastically, but the tension between them melted away. As he pulled her in closer to him, he asked, "So, what do you think?"

"Well, I guess as long as we don't have to go up against any misogynistic, sociopathic priests we'll be okay."

"Who Caleb? I'm pretty sure I could take that guy." Beckett found Castle's machismo distressingly adorable.

"Now that I would pay money to see." She leaned her hands against his chest, giving her the leverage she needed to reach up and kiss his smiling lips.


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: Well, this is a long time in coming. I started this fic in January thinking it would be about 9-10 chapters. I started only with the scene of Alexis falling from the bridge in my head. The rest I built up to get to that point, and by then it took on a life of its own. I can't believe just how big a story this has become. I have never even attempted something quite so epic in scale, let alone finished, well, anything I've ever written, so for me it is quite an achievement.**

**For now, I'll just let you read. I'm posting the Epilogue too. I'll make more remarks and acknowledgements at the end of that. Also I apologize for the Canadian spelling of everything in these two chapters. Usually I edit the 'u's out of the words, but with the hassle of using my iPad, not a laptop, and my excitement to post, I can't be bothered :)**

**One last time...into the wild we go...**

* * *

A knock at the door grabbed Kate's attention. She looked towards the front door from her bedroom and huffed in frustration. He was early and she wasn't ready.

After managing to get a last minute appointment with a physiotherapist, Kate had convinced Castle that he should pick her up for their date at her apartment. She wanted to get dressed in her own place, to be around things that were familiar for a while, to give her back even a little sense of normalcy that had been missing the last few days. Plus, she wanted this to feel like a real date, and having Castle knock on her bedroom door at his place, just didn't feel special enough. Unfortunately, it had taken her longer to get home than she'd thought. And now she was running late.

The physiotherapy session had been fairly gruelling. The early part of any healing process was always the most difficult, and despite her determination to heal quickly so she could get back to work, she was starting to realize that the process was going to take every bit of strength and perseverance that she could muster. Even with that level of commitment, just the simplest movements of her shoulder had caused her significant pain during her therapy session.

Then she'd walked the ten blocks home, even though Castle made her promise she would take a cab. He wanted her to take it easy, but she just wanted to feel the familiar vibe of New York City around her. She hadn't had time to realize how much being in the wilderness had made her miss the city, the hustle and bustle of the people, the flashing lights, the sounds. Even though she had appreciated the few moments of peace and quiet that she had experienced in the last few days at camp, she was a city girl at heart and if she was going to recover physically, and mentally, she needed to immerse herself in the familiar. By the time she reached her apartment, she was aching all over and just needed a long soak in the tub and a nap.

Unfortunately she didn't have time for both. Kate chose the nap deciding that the last thing she needed was to be yawning during their date. She was sure Castle would never let her hear the end of it, and he would likely bring her home early so she could sleep. She didn't want anything getting in the way of this. Kate was secretly as excited about their date as Castle was overt about it.

So, she had arrived at her apartment and crawled exhausted into her bed. She set her alarm but knew her body would wake her up before she needed to be up anyways. Kate wasn't sure why by her internal alarm clock had always brought her back to consciousness about five minutes before any alarms went off. It didn't matter how little sleep she had gotten or how tired she still was.

After her nap, Kate felt reenergized. She took a quick, hot shower to work out some of the more stubborn kinks she was feeling. Her body was still sore, but not as tired as it had been. A check in the mirror showed her that the bruises from that morning were steadily getting darker in colour. Finding a dress that would hide them but didn't scream '_I live in a nunnery_' would be a challenge.

Finally, Kate settled on a navy blue silk dress. It was snugly fitted in all the right places and was short enough to show off her long toned legs. With a pair of strappy high heals, she was sure Castle would not be disappointed. And she liked that the shoes would make her almost as tall as him. She'd spent the last few days looking up at him, and now she wanted to look at him eye to eye.

Turning to look at herself in the mirror she found that several of the bruises on her upper body were in plain sight. Not exactly the best look, so she chose a soft grey cashmere sweater to cover them. She didn't want to look too dressy, they were just going to Remy's after all, so the sweater actually made the outfit a little more casual.

Kate was still putting the finishing touches on her make-up when she heard Castle knock. She rushed as quickly as her aching body would allow and opened the door, her breath catching as she took in the sight of him. Navy dress pants, a light blue buttondown shirt, open at the collar, and a charcoal grey unstructured jacket. _Damn he looks sexy_.

Castle's deep blue eyes stared back at her, similarly appreciating her appearance.

"Hi," she finally managed shyly.

"Hi," he responded. "You look amazing."

Kate's eyes trailed to the floor as the pink rushed to her cheeks. "Come in. I'm almost ready."

Kate returned to the bathroom while Castle snooped about her apartment. He was amazed at how, even on a budget, she had managed to create a space that matched her personality so perfectly. Soft greys and purples adorned the walls and furniture, highlighted with a few splashes of white and black. It was simple and feminine, but there was an understated power in the space that he found perfectly appropriate for what he knew of her.

"I'm ready." Kate finally joined him as he was looking through her collection of books. His eye caught for a moment on the stack of Richard Castle's she had organized by release date, but he quickly moved on to see what else she enjoyed reading. He knew she was a fan of his, what he wanted to know was what other works inspired her. He noted with interest that her collection was small but the classic novels she had chosen expressed a lot about her personality.

"Clan of the Cavebear?" he asked as she walked into the room.

"What? Oh, yeah, I love that series."

"I'm not surprised. Ayla's tenacity and determination match your own," he said, referring to the main protagonist's struggles at the time of modern humanity's earliest beginnings.

"You've read the books?" Kate asked, her eyebrows arching in surprise.

"I have. Jean Auel is a formidable author and the books are a fascinating study of human evolution, and of strong female characters. I thought they were brilliant." He smiled at the knowledge that they actually had some things in common. They came from such different worlds and he wasn't sure, now that they were back in the real world, whether they would have things to talk about.

Kate smiled at him as well. It was nice to have a conversation that didn't involve kidnappings or tranquilizer guns or ambushes. It was nice to be home, and it was nice to have him there with her.

Castle reached his hand up to cup her cheek and moved in slowly towards her. Just before their lips met, he pulled back, his attention momentarily diverted from her lips.

"What's wrong?" Kate was suddenly self-conscious, though about what she knew not.

"You...there's..." Castle looked confounded, like he had just happened upon a mystery that he couldn't solve. He was looking at her strangely, like he was taking in her appearance for the first time.

"I what?"

"There's something different. You're..." his eyes widened as the realization struck him.

"You're _taller_." He smiled at her as he pieced together the answer to the riddle.

Kate laughed. "_Heels_, Castle, they're called _heels_."

"I'm just not used to it. You weren't this tall before."

"Well, I wasn't about to traipse around the forest in my stilletos. That wouldn't be practical."

"No, not practical. Not at all." Castle put his arm around her waist and pulled her seductively towards him until their bodies were pressed firmly together. "But now, _now they are very __practical_." He leaned in, not down, and kissed her with a passion that she hadn't felt in him before. Clearly the heels worked for him.

When they finally broke apart, Castle's eyes were burning with desire. Kate looked back at him in equal measure. He leaned in again, but this time his lips landed on her neck, sucking and kissing, while his hands kept her body firmly pressed against his own. Kate moaned at the sensation, spurring him to continue his exploration of her neck, her jaw, her earlobe, while her long hair tickled his face. Their lips crashed together again, his hands moving up to card through her hair.

"Kate," he whispered, his lips still pressed to hers.

Kate could tell that dinner was no longer on Castle's mind, but she wasn't sure she was ready to take their relationship where he was headed. At least not yet. The practical side of her, that goverened by her head, was telling her to slow down.

"Castle..." she tried to pull his attention back between kisses. "Castle..."

The words and Kate's hesitation finally sunk in and Castle eased away from her. "Sorry, I just...that dress and those heels...and you just look so beautiful..." He pulled back a little further and brought his hands to either side of her face, looking deep into her eyes. "Let's go get some dinner, shall we?"

Kate relaxed immediately, glad that he was so understanding. More and more she could see just how different he was from her original assumption, from the persona splashed across page six of_ The Ledger_. She was really glad that he wasn't that man, or at least that he didn't seem to want to be that man anymore.

* * *

Dinner at Remy's was perfect. Castle had arranged for a limo to take them there and pick them up and they had cuddled in the back like high school kids going to the prom. Kate wasn't sure if she had ever quite experienced this before, but she was actually giddy with happiness.

The conversation had flowed from start to finish. Both were relieved that they had much more in common than just murder and books. But they also found they had enough differences to give them different perspectives on life. Kate had come from a typical happy upbringing until tragedy struck. Castle had come from a not-so-typical single parent upbringing, until fortune struck.

After dinner they had walked for a while through Central Park. It was a cool spring night and when she shivered, despite her sweater, Castle placed his jacket over her shoulders. He used that opportunity as an excuse to put his arm around her as well. She snuggled in next to him and they walked in sync along the path.

Finally, the adrenaline Kate had been feeling at being on their first real date began to wear off and she was forced to admit that she was getting tired. Castle approached a nearby horse-drawn carriage driver and hired him to drive them back to where the limo was waiting. After helping Kate up the steps, he settled in beside her and placed a warm blanket over them, clutching her hands in his and rubbing them for warmth. It wasn't really that cold, but he relished the contact.

"Hey look, there's Totem, the constellation." Castle pointed high in the night sky to the faint flickering of the group of stars they had seen the first night at the camp.

"Um...Castle?" Kate looked nervously at him and his smile faded a bit. "Don't be mad, but I may not have been exactly truthful about that story..." her voice trailed off hoping he wouldn't be too upset.

"What? You lied?"

"Well, I..." Kate was at a loss for words. "You were just so arrogant."

"_Arrogant_?"

"Yeah, you were all '_In Peru, members of the ancient Incan royal families would move from this world to the night sky upon their deaths_.'" Kate mimicked his words, deepening her voice in a mock impersonation. "You were so obviously lying and I was just calling your bluff. But then you didn't call mine. I actually didn't think you'd believe me. And then we kind of got...distracted."

Kate smiled up at him innocently in the darkness of the carriage hoping he wouldn't be mad. But instead he started laughing. "You were bluffing? Dammit Beckett, remind me never to play poker with you."

"So you're not mad?" Kate smiled back relieved.

"Mad? No. Anyone who can out-bluff me deserves my respect, not my anger. Consider me impressed. Although, I do think maybe you should have to make it up to me." Castle devilishly wiggled his eyebrows.

"Castle, you can't forgive me and then say I have to make it up to you. That's not how it works."

"Oh, right." Castle looked down dejectedly.

Noticing his disappointment, Kate added, "But you know, I haven't forgiven you yet, so you could make it up to me..." She smiled suggestively and took her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Now that I can do." Castle brought her hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"Kate, I'm so sorry I lied to you. I will never do it again. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Well..."

"Please, I'll do anything." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "_Anything_..."

Kate giggled at his antics. "I'll think about it."

* * *

Kate had packed an overnight bag so they wouldn't have to go back to her place at the end of the evening. When the limo driver dropped them at Castle's apartment, she was glad for that foresight. But as tired as she was, she wasn't really ready for their night to be over. She had had such a good time with Rick and more and more she was warming to the idea of taking their intimacy to the next step. Her head was still arguing with her heart, but it was quickly getting drowned out.

Castle walked Kate up to her bedroom, their fingers lightly entwined. She noticed that he kept glancing sideways at her, trying to be inconspicuous, but failing miserably. Clearly they were both a little unsure of how the night would end. As he stood at her door, Castle reached up and gently brushed her silky locks behind her ears. Placing his hands on either side of her face, he looked deeply into her eyes. _God, she is so incredibly beautiful._

"I have to admit, I'm having a hard time walking away right now. Even though we're only a floor apart, I don't really want to leave." Castle voiced the sentiment that they were both feeling. But Kate realized that he thought he might be alone in that department. It would be up to her to let him know where she was at too.

"So don't." Kate looked up at him cautiously, nervously.

"Really?" Castle asked, surprised by her words.

"Really. I...I want you to stay." Castle smiled and took her by the waist, moving them together into the room, and closing the door behind them. He carefully pulled her sweater down and threw it on the chair he had slept in the night before. Pulling her hair off her neck, he grasped the zipper of her dress and reversed it down its track until her back was fully exposed. He reminded himself of the bandages still covering the few scrapes on her back and made a mental note that he needed to avoid those areas. Castle kissed her neck lightly while she reached up and unbuttoned his shirt.

Looking back into his eyes, Castle crooked his head to the side.

"They're not green are they?" Kate looked at him taken aback by his question that seemed to come out of left field. "But they're not brown either."

"Castle?"

"Your eyes. What colour are they? I've been trying to figure it out for four days but they keep changing on me. Sometimes they're the deepest green, like fields of clover. Sometimes, they're brown with flecks of gold."

Kate laughed at him again. "They do change. I just say they're hazel. But I guess they're darker than that, and usually more green than brown." She shrugged, not really knowing for sure herself what colour they were, at least at that moment. Like he said, they tended to change depending on what she was feeling.

"No, hazel is too cliche, it's not poetic enough. No, your eyes are the depths of a mountain forest with flecks of statuesque bronze."

Kate looked at him, mouth agape. She was left speechless by his ability to be focussed one minute and distracted the next, bumbling and inarticulate, then so descriptively expressive. It was hard to keep up.

"What? Too much?" He smiled devilishly, the corners of his eyes creasing adorably.

Kate laughed again, "Maybe."

"Well, whatever you call them, they're..." Castle thought for a moment before continuing, "mesmerizing."

"Thank you." Kate replied shyly looking down, but Castle put his hand under her chin and lifted so her eyes met his.

"You are truly remarkable Kate Beckett. I love you."

"I love you too Castle."

**The End...**


	40. Epilogue

**Epilogue.**

* * *

Despite having worked with the detectives at the Twelfth Precinct for a week, Castle felt they were no further ahead than when they started. At first, it had been almost fun for him, like a week at police camp, and he had relished every moment. He spun theories, drank bad coffee, stared at the evidence, combed through case files. It was exciting to be a part of a real case, and much less scary now that he was doing it from within the security of the precinct walls. He was gaining valuable information for his novels.

At home he would go through the details with Kate, telling her all that had been said, everything he'd seen, and all the theories he'd been too scared to share with the detectives for fear of being upstaged by their years of experience. And some of his theories had been more than a little farfetched, but Kate had listened to them all, with only a few garnering that annoyed eye roll that he had grown to love. Sometimes he suggested theories he didn't believe himself, just so he could see it.

At first, she had been resistant to working through the case. She was clearly finding it frustrating to be getting all the information second-hand. But, after a little prodding on Castle's part, she had managed to get into the work.

Castle had learned so much about her personality just by watching how she worked through the details of the case. The way she took her time looking at the evidence, trying to piece it all together in a way that made sense, ignoring the details that looked like coincidence and insisting that there was no such thing.

She was a formidable officer, of that he was sure, but she was also highly perceptive. Not that he wasn't also, but really he'd had years of practice, of having to undertand how all the pieces fit, while she was still a relative rookie. He was amazed by how quickly she pieced the evidence together and found hidden connections between small details. And, she was becoming highly skilled at taking the sometimes outrageous theories that Castle suggested and whittling them down to the roots where inevitably, one, or both of them, would find a new clue or a new avenue to investigate. Castle took all their ideas to the precinct with him and for a while, they kept the officers busy.

But there were a few significant pieces of information that had truly stumped them all.

First, one of the NY State Troopers had found the dart that Beckett had shot Johnson with. It had apparently fallen out as they struggled at the cliff's edge and was discovered later in a tuft of grass. Examination of the dart by the crime scene techs had revealed that after the dart had been fired, the back end had broken off. The techs suggested that sometimes this was known to happen.

Kate had looked at Rick suspiciously when he told her about it. But when he showed her the documentary he had watched about a bear who had fallen into a vat of sewage, in which that exact thing had happened when the forest rangers tried to subdue it, she was forced to believe it was possible. The techs said they had no way of knowing how much of the tranquilizer drugs had gotten into Johnson's system, therefore it was no longer conclusive that Johnson was unconscious when he hit the water that day.

There had also been reports of a few sightings, but again, the evidence was inconclusive. It didn't help that people claimed to have seen him in a variety of cities, including Hartford, New York City, and as far away as Boston. None of them seemed entirely reliable, and just left the authorities tracking down dead ends.

Finally on the third day of working at the Twelfth Precinct, Montgomery cornered Castle in the breakroom.

"Okay, Castle, spill it," he'd said. He wasn't accusing Castle of any wrongdoing but clearly he knew something was up.

"What do you mean?"

"I know you write mysteries for a living, and if my wife is right, then you're pretty damned good at it."

"Thank you," Castle smiled proudly.

"Yeah, well, you can thank her for that. I haven't read a single one of your books." Castle was taken aback by the man's bluntness. "But what I want to know is how you are going home at then end of a shift with nothing, and coming back the next morning with all these good ideas that none of my seasoned colleagues have managed to come up with."

Castle shifted uncomfortably. Montgomery had told Kate she was on the bench, but if the case was still open when she got back she would be on the team again. Rick wasn't sure if he was breaking any protocols, though he assumed what he and Kate were doing wouldn't be highly favoured. She was supposed to be resting. But, at the same time, the man couldn't argue they were getting results. Even still, Castle didn't want to just throw her under the bus.

"I, well...I guess I just keep having these revelations. Maybe writing it all down is helping?"

"It's Beckett isn't it?"

Castle stammered, but couldn't decide on the right way to explain himself.

While he floundered for words, something he was not finding a pleasureable experience, Montgomery eased his pain.

"It's okay Castle. I figured that's what you were doing. No way you come up with these theories on your own."

"What?" Castle replied indignently. "I could _so_ come up with these theories on my own."  
Montgomery laughed at him, "Nah, come on Castle, you're more of the secret government agency conspiracy kind of guy. Don't tell me you didn't want to suggest that Johnson was secretly abducted by aliens or some nonsense."

"Aliens? Come on Detective, that's just ridiculous..." Castle's voice trailed off as he remembered a conversation he and Beckett had had the night before.

* * *

_"Castle, Johnson was not abducted by aliens."_

_"Oh come on, it totally makes sense. A wild storm comes up out of nowhere not long after he falls in the river, nothing is found of him but his shoe, what else could it be?"_

_"Seriously, Castle, it wasn't aliens."_

_"Oh, what, you don't believe in aliens? There's no way that we're the only sentient species in the universe."_

_"I didn't say that Castle, I just said that I don't believe aliens are involved in this case. There has to be a more logical explanation."_

_"Okay, like what?"_

_"I don't know, like maybe he washed up at a different part of the river than they thought and he managed to somehow get away? Maybe he had a radio with him or had a stash of things that we didn't know about and he was able to contact his partner?"_

_"Well what fun is that?"_

_"It's not _fun_, Castle. It's _logic_. Something you are clearly not in possession of right now."_

_"Well, I think you need to have more fun Officer Beckett."_

_"Oh really? Well what are you going to do about it?" Kate knew that once the crazy theories started coming out of the woodwork, they were pretty much done for the night. Castle advanced on her, eyes filling with passion and desire as he caught the meaning of her words._

_"Hmm...I think I could probably give you a lesson or two in having fun..."_

* * *

Montgomery snapped his fingers in Castle's face, breaking him from the memory. _Just when I was getting to the good part._

"Listen Castle, I know you want to help Beckett out while she's on leave. If I know her she must be going stir crazy by this point."

"You really have no idea." The level of Kate's frustration at being stuck at home away from the case was evident from the minute Castle walked in the door each night. She would barely let him close the front door before she was hounding him for the details.

"Yeah, well, as long as she doesn't do anything stupid, try to actually run down any of these ideas you've been feeding us, then it's fine. Technically she's on leave so she shouldn't be working this case, but clearly you two make a good team, and frankly, I'm starting to think this one may not get solved, at least not any time soon. But seriously Castle, don't let it get beyond theory building, okay?" Montgomery smiled and patted Castle on the shoulder as he walked back into the bullpen. Castle wondered just how easy, or difficult, a challenge that might be.

By the end of the week, most of the officers at the Twelfth Precinct had been reassigned to other cases. Montgomery and Castle were left working on what little evidence there was, but the captain was starting to suggest that maybe it was time to put it away for a while. With no new leads and no new evidence, it was pretty much a dead end. Even Castle and Beckett had been having trouble gleaning new information from what they had. Castle's theories were starting to get more and more outlandish, and Kate was less and less willing to entertain them. For her sanity, and for the health of their relationship, Castle was glad that Beckett would be returning to work the next day.

"Listen, Roy," Castle and Montgomery had dropped the formalities earlier in the week. It was late in the afternoon, he would be leaving soon, and he wanted to talk to the detective about his future with the NYPD. With Kate coming back, he'd been giving it a lot of thought and wanted to make sure he handled it right. "I was thinking...there's not much left that I can really help with on this case, and Kate is coming back tomorrow. Maybe I should step back for a while until she gets back into the swing of things. I think it would be good for Kate to come back and not have her boyfriend hanging around. Something tells me she's going to face enough flack from these guys about me as it is."

Montgomery smiled good-naturedly. They both knew that as helpful as Castle had been, he really wasn't one of them, and his assumptions about the teasing she would face were probably right on the money. Being one of few women in a room full of men meant that she had to work harder to achieve her goals, and the guys felt that it was their duty, in a big-brotherly sort of way, to give her a hard time about, well, pretty much anything of this nature.

"Sure Rick, but, '_for a while_'? Are you saying you want to come back at some point?"

"Well, I would really like to still help out, if there was ever an opportunity, maybe as a special consultant or something. It's been fascinating to witness firsthand the processes and procedures of the NYPD. I think it's going to add a really authentic quality to my novels. But not just that, I'd like to think I was pretty good at it."

"You know Castle, you weren't half bad."

"Well thanks, I think," Castle laughed at the veiled joke made at his expense.

"What does Beckett think about this idea of yours?"

Castle cleared his throat nervously. He hadn't actually talked to Kate about what would happen once she returned to work. He wasn't sure how she would take it, especially because it was more likely that he would be able to work with the detectives and not with her. That might make for an uneasy power struggle between them, and at this point, Castle was more interested in keeping their relationship positive and fun, and he never would want to make her feel uncomfortable in her workplace. He'd seen first hand in the forest how that sometimes worked out. Though, over the last week, they had managed to get into a rhythm as they worked through the details of the case.

"I haven't mentioned it yet. I wasn't even sure if it was a possibility, so I didn't want to bring it up until I knew."

"You mean you're chicken." Montgomery looked knowingly at Castle with the hint of a grin on his face.

"Hmm. Yeah, maybe."

Montgomery laughed heartily. "Well, maybe you better clear it with Beckett before you make any big plans."

"Yeah, okay. Probably not a bad idea."

* * *

After her mandated week off Kate Beckett was finally returning to work. She had enjoyed the time off, staying with Rick and Alexis, and getting to know them better. Castle especially had been so caring and fussed over her every need, while Alexis had been a breath of fresh air whenever she walked in the room. It was easy to start letting the emotional wounds heal being around the two. And Castle's fly-on-the-wall connection to the case was helping her to stay focussed on work, even though she wasn't allowed in the precinct.

Kate felt a bit frustrated that she was going to be relegated to desk work for the next month while she let her shoulder heal, but she was thankful to be back in the midst of the other officers. She had missed the hustle and bustle of the bull pen.

As she walked off the elevator, several officers and detectives looked up from their desks. Most broke into wide grins and several applauded. A few came over to offer hugs or handshakes or even a high five. Everyone knew about Kate's involvement in the case and how, even as a junior officer, she had managed to stop the kidnapping attempt.

Standing in front of the evidence board, Kate reviewed all the details, though really, she already knew them by heart. But it was giving her a fresh perspective to see them all laid out in a manner with which she was familiar.

"Welcome back Beckett."

Kate looked up to see Montgomery watching her. "Hey. Anything new?"

Montgomery chuckled at her down to business demeanor, but shook it off realizing he should expect no less from her. "Nothing. Captain thinks it's about time to move on."

"He wants to close the case? But Johnson is still out there."

"Not close it Beckett. But there are other cases piling up. He wants us to...change our focus." Montgomery's eyes softened at Kate as he watched the realization hit her.

"Another unsolved case..." she whispered under her breath. She swore when she joined the police force that she would do literally everything she could so that no family ever had to live with the unsettling feelings that came with an unsolved case. And now here she was, about to do the same thing that had been done to her. She felt herself falling into a pit of despair and inadequacy. She sat heavily on the edge of Montgomery's desk, her eyes moving almost wildly across the evidence board, willing something to come to her.

"Yo, Officer Beckett?" A voice brought Kate out of her reverie.

"Yeah?" Kate looked up to see a young Latino officer staring at her, a look of awe and respect pulling at the corner of his eyes.

"This was delivered to the front desk for you." The officer produced a flat white box that Kate hadn't noticed him carrying.

"What is it?" Montgomery asked.

"I have no idea." Kate looked down at the box as she took it from - "Thanks...?" Kate looked inquiringly at the officer standing before her.

"Esposito. Javier."

Kate smiled. "Nice to meet you Esposito. Thanks."

"Sure. Oh, and Beckett? I heard what you did out in that forest, saving that kid. That was pretty badass."

Kate smiled as Esposito walked back to the elevators. She looked over at Montgomery who was smiling at the exchange.

"Looks like someone's got a crush."

"Sir, come on."

"Okay, well, a protege then. Maybe you should take that kid under your wing. Teach him everything you know. I hear he's got a lot of potential, you know."

"Hmmm...maybe I will." Kate glanced back again at the elevators as they closed on the young officer.

"So, you gonna open that box or just hold onto it all day?"

Kate looked down again at the box wondering what it could be. She slowly pulled the lid off and pulled back the tissue paper inside. A smile grew wide on her face as she looked at the simple black frame and the picture that stared back at her. It was her, up at the top of the climbing run at the Climbing Adventure Park. She was sitting in the Adirondak chair staring out over the forest and she had the biggest grin on her face.

She handed the box to Montgomery to see, while she opened the card that she now knew to be from Rick. Kate read silently:

_"Thanks for the adventure. I'm looking forward to many more. No matter where we are in life, I'll never let you fall." _

In that moment, Kate realized that this was it, her one and done. She had gone to camp, broken and desperate, and she had come home with happiness and hope for her future. Somehow, amidst the rocks and the ropes, the river and the valley and the trees, the kids and the kidnapper, she had fallen in love with Rick Castle. And she realized, she was looking forward to the adventures too.

**The End.**

* * *

**Author's Final Notes:**

**Thank you so much to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited and followed. I appreciate you all so much! You've carried me through some challenging times and your feedback and support has been truly humbling.**

**Especially I would like to thank ms_TGR and supermandy77 for all of their editing, assistance, support and advice (and delightfully inappropriate twitter convos - seriously people, if you're not already following these two, what are you waiting for?). You two are fantastic and I am so thankful for everything you have done to keep me going.**

**This has been a true labour of love and I have thoroughly enjoyed the whole process I've learned so much about myself, these characters, and my passion for writing. Thanks to everyone for joining me on this journey!**

**For those who ask, yes I have left this open for a possible sequel, but please don't expect it any time soon. I have a few other fics in the works that I will be posting and I also have a novel to work on outside of the Castle world. But feel free to poke and prod me now and then to actually work on Into the Wild 2...I'm sure it will eventually come pouring out. I want to know what happened to Johnson too :)**


End file.
